How to design products that users will actually buy (??: It’s not User Personas)

Day 3: JTBD framework | 21 days of growth hacking

When we design products and services, we often focus on features, functions, and benefits. But have you ever considered why people buy and use your product or service? This is where the Jobs-to-be-done or as Gen-Z would put it, the?JTBD?approach comes in. The approach that Steve Jobs applied to envision the iPod.

Unlike user personas, JTBD is about WHY people buy your product rather than WHO buys your product.

JTBD is a customer-centric approach to product design that focuses on the specific problems or goals that users are trying to accomplish when they use a product or service. The idea behind JTBD is that people “hire” products or services to get a job done. For example, someone might hire a streaming service to entertain themselves after a long day at work. Understanding the jobs users are trying to accomplish can help teams create products that better meet those needs.

In a famous example, a fast-food chain wanted to improve its?milkshake?sales. They hired a research firm to help them understand why customers were buying milkshakes. After conducting interviews, the researchers found that many customers were buying milkshakes as a quick breakfast option on their morning commute. The milkshake satisfied their hunger, kept them full until lunch, and could be consumed while driving. Armed with this insight, the fast-food chain was able to improve the milkshake’s design by making it thicker and more filling and positioning it as a?breakfast alternative.

The JTBD framework:

For a #framework this powerful, JBTD is pretty simple. It consists of three elements,

1. The Job: The job is the underlying problem or goal a user is trying to accomplish. It’s important to focus on the job itself, rather than the solution or product that a user currently uses to accomplish it.
2. Progress: Progress is the forward motion that a user experiences as they make progress towards accomplishing the job. Understanding the progress that users make can help teams design products that support and enhance that progress.
3. The Constraints: The constraints are the obstacles or barriers that prevent users from making progress towards accomplishing the job. Identifying and addressing these constraints can help teams create products that are more effective and efficient in meeting user needs.

How to apply JTBD in Product Design:

Utilizing the Jobs to Be Done approach can be particularly effective for?established #businesses?or those with sufficient user data from similar businesses. And even if you’re just starting, You can always do surveys or ask your users what they’re struggling with.

To apply the JTBD framework in #productdesign design, there are a few steps you can take:

1. Identify the Jobs: Start by identifying the different jobs that your product or service is hired to do. This can be done through customer research, surveys, interviews, and observation.
2. Prioritize the Jobs: Once you have identified the different jobs, prioritize them based on their importance to users and the potential impact on your business.
3. Map the Progress and Constraints: For each job, map out the progress that users make towards accomplishing it, and the constraints they face along the way.
4. Design for the Jobs: Finally, use the insights gained from the JTBD framework to design products that better meet the needs of users. Focus on creating solutions that support the progress that users make towards accomplishing the job while addressing the constraints that they face.

Here are a few examples of how different-sized organizations have used the JBTD framework:

JBTD vs User personas:

While?user personas?can be a useful tool for understanding users and designing products that meet their needs, there are some potential weaknesses and limitations to this method:

1. Limited representativeness: User personas are typically based on a limited sample of user research, which means that they may not accurately represent the diversity of your user base. This can lead to the creation of products that are only optimized for a narrow range of users and are as effective for other user groups.
2. Stereotyping: User personas can sometimes perpetuate stereotypes and assumptions about users, which can be harmful and lead to biased design decisions. It’s important to base personas on actual user research and avoid making assumptions or generalizations about users.
3. Static nature:?User personas are often created at a specific point in time and may not reflect changes in user behavior or needs over time. It’s important to regularly update and revisit user personas to ensure that they remain relevant and accurate.
4. Lack of validation:?User personas are based on assumptions and hypotheses about users, and it’s important to validate these assumptions through user research and testing. Without validation, user personas can be misleading and result in ineffective design decisions.
5. Over-reliance:?User personas can sometimes be over-relied upon as a substitute for actual user research and testing. It’s important to use user personas as a tool to guide design decisions, but also to conduct user research and testing to validate assumptions and ensure that products meet user needs.

Assuming you know what your users want is like assuming you can win a staring contest against a cat. Sure, you might be right sometimes, but most of the time, you’re going to end up with a scratched nose and no clear understanding of your users.

On the other hand, The JTBD framework in product design has several benefits:

1. Customer-Centric:?JTBD puts the focus on the customer and their needs, rather than the product or solution.
2. Better Product Design:?Understanding the jobs that users are trying to accomplish can lead to better product design and more effective solutions.
3. Competitive Advantage:?By designing products that better meet the needs of users, you can gain a competitive advantage in the marketplace.
4. Marketing:?The JTBD approach can also inform marketing and messaging, as you can focus on the specific jobs that your product or service is hired to do.

So there you have it, folks — the Jobs to Be Done framework is like a secret weapon for businesses looking to win the hearts and wallets of their customers. By focusing on the jobs customers are trying to get done, rather than just their basic demographic info, companies can create products and services that truly resonate with their audience. It’s like knowing your crush’s favorite pizza toppings — once you have that information, you’re practically invincible. And just like how pizza makes everything better, applying the Jobs to Be Done framework can help businesses achieve better results, drive growth, and make customers happier. So go forth and Job to Be Done!

As part of my 21-day growth challenge series, I am bringing you a new growth hack every single day to help take your business to the next level. From Jobs to Be Done to user acquisition strategies and everything in between, we’ve got you covered. Whether you’re a startup founder, marketing professional, or just someone looking to learn more about the world of business, these growth hacks are designed to help you drive growth and achieve success. So buckle up and get ready to take your business to new heights — the 21-day growth challenge is here!

#business #startup #growthhacking #strategy #productdesign

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