Jobs to be Done is a framework for understanding the progress people are trying to make in a specific situation and why they choose or replace products to help make that progress.
A person does not necessarily want “a budgeting dashboard.” They may want to feel confident they can make payroll next month.
The dashboard is one possible product. The underlying job is the progress they are trying to make.
A job combines situation, motivation, and desired progress.
For example: When my startup’s cash position changes quickly, help me understand how many months of runway remain so I can decide whether to cut spending or raise money.
A persona often describes who someone is. JTBD focuses on what progress they are trying to make and why.
Two people with very different demographics can share the same job.
A user story is often a delivery artifact describing a product need. JTBD is a research and strategy lens for understanding motivation and switching behavior more deeply.
“Upload a CSV” is an action, not necessarily the deeper job.
“Be more productive” is too broad to guide design.
The same person can have different jobs in different situations.
JTBD asks: what progress is this person trying to make in this situation, and what causes them to choose one solution over another?
User need · Pain point · Problem statement · User interview
Read UX Design Process Steps for how JTBD-style discovery fits into product work.