JTBD Theory Examples: Uber, Spotify and Duolingo
Introduction to JTBD Theory
The Jobs to Be Done (JTBD) theory helps us understand why customers choose a product. Unlike personas or user stories, JTBD digs deep into customer motivations. In this article I’ll be discussing how JTBD works with real-life examples from Spotify, Uber, and Duolingo.
What is JTBD Theory?
JTBD focuses on what customers want to achieve with a product. Instead of thinking about product features, we ask: What is the customer trying to do with our product?
Key Steps in JTBD Theory:
Identify the market
Identify customer jobs
Categorize jobs
Create job statements
Prioritize opportunities
I’ll be covering the main parts: identifying jobs, categorizing them, and creating job statements.
Examples of JTBD Theory: Spotify, Uber, and Duolingo
Identifying The Job to be Done
First, we find out what customers need. We can do this through interviews, surveys, or discovery sessions. For example, why do people use Spotify? Here's what they found:
Listen to music anytime
Find specific songs or artists
Discover music for their mood
Share music with friends
Create and manage playlists
Match music to activities like working out or cooking
Categorizing The Job to be Done
Next, we categorize these needs into Functional and Emotional jobs.
Functional jobs: Practical tasks a product should help with.
Emotional jobs: Feelings or desires a product should fulfill. These can be personal (individual preferences) or social (relationships and social settings).
For Spotify:
Functional: Listen to music, find songs, create playlists.
Emotional: Enjoy music, share with friends, fit music to mood.
Creating Job Statements
A job statement describes what the customer wants to achieve. It includes an action verb, the object of action, and the context. Here are some for Spotify:
Find the right music vibe for an activity like working out or cooking.
Discover new playlists on the go based on your favorite sounds.
Have fun and share playlists with friends.
More JTBD Statements: Uber and Duolingo
Uber:
Book a ride through the app without communication anxiety.
Share the cost of a ride with others (Uber Share).
Eat takeout food without leaving home (Uber Eats).
Duolingo:
Motivate me to learn a new language every day without skipping.
Who Should Use JTBD Theory?
Product owners and managers: To improve market research and create user-centric products.
Developers and designers: To build features that meet real user needs.
Marketing teams: To craft messages and campaigns that resonate with core customer needs.
Conclusion
JTBD Theory helps us understand customer needs better. It's not about solving problems but understanding what drives customers. Using JTBD, you can create a stronger product strategy and improve product-market fit.
Source: Railsware
