Bob Moesta on Jobs-to-be-Done - The Intercom Blog

Summary

Bob Moesta, a principal architect of the Jobs-to-be-Done framework, explains that JTBD interviews focus on uncovering the actions and progress a buyer is trying to make, not opinions or product features. He describes the key forces driving customer switching—push, pull, anxiety, and habit—and notes that innovation opportunities lie at the edge where people want to be better, not with habitual users. Moesta introduces the concepts of big hire (purchase) and little hire (actual use), emphasizing that value is delivered in the latter and that both must be designed for. He addresses zombie revenue, which can arise when customers move on after the job is done, don’t understand the product, or when the product serves a different job than intended. For startups new to JTBD, Moesta advises removing their product from the interview equation and starting with competitor customers to understand the context and outcome independently of the product.

Takeaways

1. 1

   JTBD interviews uncover actions and progress, not opinions or product features.

2. 2

   Opportunities for innovation are found at the edge where people want to be better, not with habitual users.

3. 3

   Zombie revenue can result from customers moving on, not understanding the product, or the product serving a different job than intended.

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