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Use define-jtbd-canvas to create a research-grounded JTBD canvas for [customer segment] using [customer research], including a specific job statement, functional, emotional, and social jobs, competing solutions, and hiring criteria.
Required inputs
[customer segment]
[customer research]
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SKILL.md
name: define-jtbd-canvasdescription: Creates a Jobs to be Done canvas capturing the functional, emotional, and social dimensions of a customer job. Use when deeply understanding customer motivations, designing for jobs, or reframing product positioning.license: Apache-2.0metadata: phase: define version: "2.1.0" updated: 2026-06-10 category: problem-framing frameworks: [triple-diamond, lean-startup, design-thinking] author: product-on-purpose
Jobs to be Done Canvas
A Jobs to be Done (JTBD) canvas captures the complete picture of why customers "hire" products to make progress in their lives. Based on Clayton Christensen's framework, JTBD goes beyond features and demographics to understand the underlying motivations.functional, emotional, and social.that drive customer behavior.
When to Use
When deeply researching customer motivations before building
To reframe product positioning around customer progress
When existing personas feel too surface-level or demographic
During competitive analysis to identify why customers switch
When designing marketing messages that resonate
To align team on who the customer really is and what they need
When NOT to Use
You need a person-shaped artifact (goals, behaviors, quotes) for design or marketing work -> use foundation-persona; the canvas captures the job, the persona captures the person
You have no customer research yet -> synthesize interviews first with discover-interview-synthesis; the canvas's insights must trace to research, not assumptions
You are framing one specific problem to solve now -> use define-problem-statement
You need to map opportunities to a measurable outcome for prioritization -> use define-opportunity-tree
Instructions
When asked to create a JTBD canvas, follow these steps:
Identify the Job Performer
Define who is doing this job. Go beyond demographics to capture the circumstance they're in. The same person can have different jobs in different situations.
Articulate the Circumstance
Describe when and where this job arises. Jobs are triggered by specific situations. Understanding context helps predict when customers will seek a solution.
Write the Job Statement
Use the format: "When [situation], I want to [motivation], so I can [desired outcome]." The job statement captures the core progress the customer seeks.
Define the Functional Job
What is the practical task the customer needs to accomplish? This is the tangible, measurable part of the job. Be specific about what "done" looks like.
Capture the Emotional Job
How does the customer want to feel during and after the job? Emotional jobs often drive decisions more than functional ones. Include both desired feelings and feelings to avoid.
Identify the Social Job
How does the customer want to be perceived by others? Social jobs relate to status, identity, and relationships. Not all jobs have strong social dimensions.
Map Competing Solutions
What are customers currently "hiring" to do this job? Include direct competitors, indirect alternatives, and non-consumption (doing nothing). Understanding current solutions reveals what to compete against.
Define Hiring Criteria
What makes customers choose one solution over another? What are the "must haves" vs. "nice to haves"? This informs positioning and prioritization.
Output Format
Use the template in references/TEMPLATE.md to structure the output. A complete canvas fills every template section: Job Overview; Job Performer; The Circumstance; Job Statement; Functional Job; Emotional Job; Social Job; Competing Solutions; Hiring Criteria; Insights and Implications; Supporting Quotes; and Questions for Further Research.
Quality Checklist
Before finalizing, verify:
Job statement follows "When... I want... so I can..." format
Circumstance is specific (not just "anytime")
Functional job describes tangible outcome
Emotional job includes how customer wants to feel
Competing solutions include non-obvious alternatives
Insights are based on research, not assumptions
Examples
See references/EXAMPLE.md for a completed example.