Jobs To Be Done Interviews

Jobs To Be Done (JTBD)guide×Jobs To Be Done (JTBD)Identifying the functional, emotional, and social jobs users need done to guide product and UX decisions.Open guide→ interviews are a UX researchservice×User ResearchUnderstand user behaviour, validate ideas, and make clearer product decisions with evidence you can act on.Open service→ method used to understand the motivations behind user behaviourglossary×User BehaviourUser behaviour refers to how users interact with a product, including actions, patterns, and decision-making processes.Open glossary term→, particularly why people choose, switch, or abandon products.

They focus on the “job” a user is trying to get done and the forces influencing their decisions.

Instead of asking what users want, JTBD interviews explore what triggered them to act, what alternatives they considered, and what ultimately drove their decision.

This includes functional, emotional, and social factors.

The goal is to uncover the real reasons behind behaviourglossary×BehaviourBehaviour refers to how users interact with a system, including actions, patterns, and responses.Open glossary term→ so you can design products that better meet user needs.

Use this method when you want to understand decision-makingglossary×PrioritisationPrioritisation is the process of ranking tasks, features, or initiatives based on their importance, impact, and effort.Open glossary term→ and behaviourglossary×BehaviourBehaviour refers to how users interact with a system, including actions, patterns, and responses.Open glossary term→ at a deeper level.

It is most useful when:

Set up properly.

Before you start, be clear on the product or behaviourglossary×BehaviourBehaviour refers to how users interact with a system, including actions, patterns, and responses.Open glossary term→ you are exploring, the type of users you need (recent adopters, switchers, or churned users), and the timeframe.

Recruit users who have recently made a decision.

Run the method.

JTBD interviews are structured but conversational.

Focus on a specific moment in time. Ask what triggered the decision. Explore alternatives considered. Understand motivations and concerns. Identify what pushed and pulled the user.

Avoid general opinions. Focus on real events.

Capture and make sense of it.

The value comes from understanding decision forces.

Look across interviews to identify common triggers and motivations, patternsglossary×PatternA reusable solution to a common design problem.Open glossary term→ in switching behaviourglossary×BehaviourBehaviour refers to how users interact with a system, including actions, patterns, and responses.Open glossary term→, barriers and concerns, and unmet needs.

Use this to inform product and positioning.

Focus on:

Most issues come from:

If it’s not grounded in real behaviourglossary×BehaviourBehaviour refers to how users interact with a system, including actions, patterns, and responses.Open glossary term→, it won’t help.

Done properly, this method gives you:

If this sounds like something you need, we can help you uncover why your users make decisions and how to design products they actually choose.

No guesswork. No assumptions. Just insightglossary×InsightAn insight is a meaningful understanding that explains why something is happening and what it means.Open glossary term→ that drives better products.