To answer this question, we need to dive into the theory of jobs-to-be-done.

What is a job-to-be-done?

Simply put, a job to be done is the job a product is hired to complete. The framework relies on the idea that individuals purchase products and services to complete specific “jobs”, or goals, to make progress in their lives.

You can read more about the concept in this article from Harvard Business Review in 2016.

In the Lux for Predictive Anthropology framework, jobs-to-be-done reports use contextual analysis of consumer reviews to determine the leading jobs for which consumers are hiring a given product.

Our jobs-to-be-done reports aim to decipher the most dominant jobs (usually between 8-10) and analyze those jobs through five key aspects:

1. The jobs statement

The jobs statement tells you what consumers are hiring products to accomplish. In other words, they are the consumer’s goal when buying (or hiring) a product.

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I want to eat while I’m getting to work. → the consumer’s base goal that could lead them to buy (or hire) a milkshake, a protein bar, public transit, or any other product that makes it easier to eat on the go.

2. The tension statement

The tension statement tells us why consumers are still shopping around and trying different products to complete this job. In other words, it tells us why the job hasn’t been solved: why there’s no perfect product on the market solving it.

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There are lots of great on-the-go foods available at my favorite fast food joint, but they’re cold and stale by the time I finish them on my journey. → this can explain why some foods available, from burgers to tacos, aren’t a great fit for the job. If the consumer wants to take an occasional nibble on a long journey, this also tells us why small bites might not be quite the fit.

3. The occasions

The occasions tell us when the consumer wants to hire the job.

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Occasions:

morning drive to work
long road trip
driving home from visiting friends
grabbing the bus across town

4. The steps

The steps tell us different things consumers are trying to solve the job and accomplish their goals.

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Steps:

I buy a box of protein bars, but they’re not very satisfying and I always finish them too quick in my drive.
I try getting a breakfast sandwich at McDonald’s on a long drive, but it’s stale and cold and unappealing before I can finish it because I can only take a bite when I’m at a light.
I start ordering milkshakes, but some are too runny and make a mess when I try drinking them.
I look into the thickest milkshakes, because they have less mess and can keep nice and cool my entire ride home.

5. Products being hired and fired

The products consumers are currently hiring to accomplish the job (e.g., purchasing), and the products they are firing (e.g., plan to stop purchasing).

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Products being hired: thick milkshakes, long-lasting protein bars, foods that taste best room temperature or cold

Products being fired: thin milkshakes, small protein bars, sandwiches that need to be eaten hot, messy foods