What is Jobs to Be Done Theory?

Developed by Bob Moesta and Clayton Christensen, Jobs to Be Done Theory (JTBD or Jobs Theory) is a lens that reveals the circumstances—or forces—that drive people and organizations toward and away from decisions.

While conventional marketing focuses on market demographics or product attributes, JTBD goes beyond superficial categories to expose the functional, social, and emotional dimensions that explain why people make the choices they do.

Everyone has Jobs to Be Done in their lives—the progress they’re trying to make as they strive toward a goal or aspiration within particular circumstances. We call these Jobs because just as people hire contractors to help them build houses or lawyers to build a case, people “hire” products or services when “jobs” arise in their lives.