Interview with Bob Moesta on Jobs-to-be-Done – Inside Intercom

Summary

Bob Moesta, who works with Clay Christensen to develop an online course on Jobs-to-be-Done (JTBD), applies the framework through his company The ReWired Group, which helps Fortune 500 companies find innovation whitespace and incubates technology startups. JTBD is gaining popularity because Christensen promotes it, markets are saturated, and traditional marketing methods target large markets rather than seeding niches from existing consumer struggles. The method starts with the consumer’s situational context and motivation, stopping abstraction when the consumer cannot think about the problem, as in the milkshake example of solving commute boredom. Products often perform multiple jobs; the decision to split products depends on conflicts in how consumers measure value, not just benefits. Branding can be structured with endorser, driver, descriptor, and ingredient brands to clearly communicate the job a product solves, as with IBM Thinkpad and Intel Inside.

Takeaways

1. 1

   JTBD is gaining traction because markets are saturated and traditional marketing targets large markets, while JTBD seeds niches from existing consumer struggles.

2. 2

   The method stops abstraction at the point where the consumer cannot think about the problem, ensuring the job is defined from the consumer’s perspective.

3. 3

   Products often serve multiple jobs; the decision to split products depends on conflicts in how consumers measure value, not just benefits.

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