“If I had asked people what they wanted, they would have said faster horses.” – Henry Ford

The Jobs to be Done theory is a strategy framework that was devised by Clayton Christensen of Harvard Business School. It offers a unique perspective on innovation and product development that focuses on understanding the needs and desires of customers.

According to the theory, nobody just sells a product or a service, but instead, they sell the completion of a job to be done. In other words, they are selling a solution to a problem or a need that customers have. The product or service is merely the vessel through which the solution is provided.

What’s the Job of a Milkshake?

One of Christensen’s famous examples was that of a McDonald’s milkshake. Customers want a milkshake for different reasons depending on the time of day, as McDonald’s discovered when they talked to customers. In the morning, customers want it to be filling and to take a longer time to drink because they want it to last throughout their commute to work and to supplement or replace their breakfast. These features are less important at other parts of the day. The “job to be done” by the milkshake in this scenario was to provide lasting enjoyment and satiety. Customers weren’t buying a milkshake; they were buying lasting enjoyment and satiety.

Another example that highlights this concept is that of a hammer. Nobody buys a hammer just to have one. Someone buys a hammer because they need to drive a nail into something (the job to be done).

What Does This Mean for My Business?

Businesses need to think differently about their product and service offerings. They need to focus on understanding the job that customers are trying to complete and design products and services that meet those needs. This approach may change what features are provided or even change the very nature of the offering itself. If a company is selling a product that doesn’t quite solve the job to be done, it may need to pivot its strategy to meet the customer’s needs.

This theory also highlights the importance of understanding the customer’s needs and desires. If a business owner only asks what product customers want, their mind will probably only come up with products that already exist, with maybe some new features. However, if they ask what job the customer wants done, they can work backward from there and design a product or service that’s engineered to perform that job.

The Jobs to be Done theory is an innovative approach to product development that focuses on understanding the customer’s needs and desires. It challenges businesses to think outside the box and design products and services that meet the customer’s needs and solve the job to be done. By doing so, businesses can create solutions that resonate with their customers, drive growth, and stay ahead of the competition.