jobs-to-be-done

SKILL.md

Domain Context

This skill implements a proven product management framework. The approach combines best practices from industry leaders and is designed for practical application in day-to-day PM work.

Input Requirements

  • Context about your product, feature, or problem
  • Relevant data, research, or constraints (recommended but optional)
  • Clear articulation of what you're trying to achieve

Jobs-to-be-Done (JTBD)

What It Is

Jobs-to-be-Done is a framework for understanding customer motivation. The core insight: people don't buy products, they hire them to make progress in their lives.

When someone buys a product, they're not buying features or benefits—they're hiring that product to do a job. Understanding that job unlocks everything: positioning, messaging, feature prioritization, and competitive strategy.

The key shift: Move from asking "What do customers want?" to asking "What progress are customers trying to make?"

When to Use It

Use JTBD when you need to:

  • Understand why customers buy (not just what they buy)
  • Discover your true competitive set (often not who you think)
  • Find product-market fit for a new product or feature
  • Improve positioning and messaging that resonates
  • Reduce churn by understanding why customers leave
  • Prioritize your roadmap based on real customer progress
  • Identify new market opportunities through struggling moments

When Not to Use It

  • There's no real customer choice (e.g., employer-mandated software)
  • The purchase is pure habit with no conscious decision
  • You want to validate a hypothesis you've already decided on

Resources

Books:

  • Demand-Side Sales by Bob Moesta
  • Competing Against Luck by Clayton Christensen
  • When Coffee and Kale Compete by Alan Klement

Further Reading

Weekly Installs
79
GitHub Stars
18
First Seen
Feb 15, 2026
Installed on
gemini-cli75
github-copilot74
codex74
opencode74
kimi-cli73
amp73