Christensen JTBD

Theory-driven interview based on Christensen's Jobs-to-be-Done framework, using structured probes to uncover the functional, emotional, and social job users are trying to accomplish.

Process

Key Fields

Question it answers	What is the fundamental job users are trying to get done? What emotional and social dimensions matter alongside the functional task?
Participants & timing	15-25 recent purchasers · 45-60 min per interview · 4-6 weeks
AI compatibility	AI transcribes interviews and extracts job candidate statements; interpretation of functional/emotional/social job layers requires human judgment.
Output	Coded job interviews, job narrative stories, job/outcome mapping, competitive alternatives analysis

Use when

Designing in a mature category with many competitors
Differentiation must be on the job, not on features
Emotional and social outcomes matter alongside task completion
Building strategy around underserved job dimensions

Skip when

New category with no established job language yet
Functional job is already clearly defined
Interviewers are not trained in the JTBD framework

Common Mistakes

Asking about features

"What features do you use most?" misses the job. Probe the sequence of what they did, the progress they were making, and the tradeoffs they accepted.

Confusing job with product category

A job is "make my morning run enjoyable and safe," not "buy running shoes." The same job could be solved by a new route, podcasts, or a running club.

Under-exploring anxieties and compromises

Participants highlight positive job outcomes but silently accept compromises. Probe: "Was there anything you had to accept that you'd prefer to change?"