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Writer's pictureDavid Isaac

The best definition for Jobs to be Done Theory

Updated: Aug 6, 2023

If you've heard of Jobs to be Done, and the famous milkshake case study often used to explain it, it's important to get the nuances right. https://lnkd.in/dcE_9Yy


Tony Ulwick's "Outcome Driven Innovation" methodology defines "Jobs-to-be-Done" (JTBD) as the desired outcomes that customers hire a product or service to do in order to get a job done. According to this methodology, JTBD is an analysis of customer needs and preferences which helps companies identify opportunities for developing new products, services, and features. Companies use this analysis to create offerings which meet customer desires better than existing ones by using an outcome-driven approach. By understanding the customer's desired outcomes, companies can focus on creating offerings that help them achieve these goals.


Bonus video: Some Secret History! Little known fact, Tony and Clay were friends even before "The Innovators Dilemma" was published, and introduced Clay to the concept, before Clay named the concept as Job to be Done.


The name stuck while Tony has gone on to deeply refine the Outcome Driven Innovation Methodology to uncover the Job to be Done.

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