4 Examples of the Jobs-to-Be-Done Framework

The jobs-to-be-done framework is a methodology that is used by designers, product teams, and entrepreneurs to identify and understand the needs of their customers. The framework is based on the idea that people do not buy products or services, they hire them to do a job.

Here are three examples of the jobs-to-be-done framework in action:

Uber

One of the clearest use cases for the jobs-to-be-done framework is Uber. Even though taxis were getting the job done of getting people from one place to another in a way that seemed efficient, they were not.

While people want to go from point A to point B, jobs-to-be-done market research would show that there is more to the puzzle. By applying the jobs-to-be-done framework, Uber’s creators were able to figure out that people who were hiring taxis to drive them wanted to avoid waiting in long lines at a taxi stand, having to call a taxi, and dealing with street traffic.

When Uber was built, it solved these problems by allowing people to order a car with the push of a button on their smartphone. No more waiting in line or dealing with traffic.

Airbnb

When looking at Airbnb, we can see that they too used the jobs-to-be-done framework to create a solution for their customers. The problem that Airbnb solved was that people who were looking for a place to stay while they were on vacation did not want to deal with the hassle of finding a hotel.

Airbnb’s creators also realized that there were people who were renting out their spaces on Craigslist and other sites, but they were not getting the exposure that they needed to reach a larger audience in a safe way. In fact, their pilot clients were pulled off of Craigslist.

By using the jobs-to-be-done framework, Airbnb was able to create a platform that allowed people to list their spaces and reach a larger audience of potential short-term renters.

Slack

For the last two decades, email has been the primary mode of communication for most businesses. However, as the number of employees working remotely has increased, so too has the need for a communication tool that is designed specifically for remote teams.

Slack was created because its creators saw that those who were using email to communicate needed to do so in a more effective way. By defining their market as “workplace members who want to collaborate efficiently”, Slack has become the go-to communication tool for many remote teams.

Upwork

Hiring people is time-consuming, but there are lots of companies that don’t have the budget for full-time employees. Plus, a growing portion of the workforce does not want a full-time job. They want the freedom to work on their own terms.

Upwork was created to solve this problem by connecting businesses with freelancers who can do the job just as well, if not better than, a full-time employee. And since Upwork takes a small percentage of each project’s pay, it’s much more affordable for businesses than hiring a full-time employee, which can cost tens of thousands of dollars.

These are just four examples of how the jobs-to-be-done framework can be used to create solutions that customers will love. If you’re looking to create a new product or service, consider using the jobs-to-be-done framework to figure out what your customers really need. You might just come up with the next big thing.