This is article 4 / 5 in a series on Jobs to Be Done. You may wish to read this series from the beginning or view the list of articles in the series (located at the bottom of this article).
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Applying Jobs-to-Be-Done to your business research is more than just figuring out what ‘job’ your product or service is ultimately helping people to achieve; a large part of understanding your offering from a Jobs Theory point-of-view revolves around the decision someone makes to adopt or drop your solution.
When faced with a decision that needs to be made, most people undergo a complex mental process involving memory, bias, reason, and emotions all within their particular context of consideration. While they may be conscious of some aspects, they are usually unconscious of others; regardless, making a choice – even if it seems easy – is hardly simple.
This is what happens every time people are faced with the decision to ‘hire’ or ‘fire’ your product or service. It is important, then, to develop a clear understanding of the four forces at play that contribute to the decision making process; doing so can reveal signals that help you choose where (and what) to innovate.
The four forces of progress
In any situation involving change, there are generally four forces at work: two forces that enable change and two forces that block it. Let’s explore them together using the example of a photographic SLR camera.
Forces that enable change
The ways in which the existing solution causes dissatisfaction are known as push forces because they repel people from what they are currently using. Examples of this could be that the existing solution is old, or is not able to accommodate a person’s evolving needs; perhaps it’s costly or cumbersome. In any case, there is some sort of friction encountered with its continued use. This force involves memory and emotion based on past and current lived experience.
“My camera is large, heavy, and the 35mm film is getting harder and harder to find.”
The appealing attributes of the new solution are known as the pull forces because they attract people towards trying something different. Examples of this could be a solution’s modern approach or novelty; it may also be able to get more of the job done, or it may be more cost effective. This force involves reason and emotion based on a perceived future experience.
“A digital camera would give me sharper, more vivid images that are easier to share with friends and family.”
Forces that block change
The existing state of affairs and the habits that people develop around an existing solution are known as inertia forces. These are the natural resistances we have as human beings to change; it could also represent emotional attachment to the existing solution. This force involves biases and emotions that are based on existing circumstances.
“I’ve had my film camera since the kids were young; it made all of our photo albums possible.”
Finally, we have the summation of all associated unknowns of the new solution, known as anxiety forces, named after the emotional state of uncertainty and fear they cause within people. Anxiety forces could be tied to a person’s lack of self-efficacy, or their concerns around controlling outcomes. This force involves heavy emphasis on emotion and the memory of past experiences.
“There’s so many features with new digital cameras... what if I can’t learn how to use it? Will I just be wasting my money?"
Working with the forces - an example
Many businesses focus their design and marketing efforts on the forces that enable change (push/pull) by comparing their technically superior solution to existing products and services; however, not many businesses are aware that the habits and anxieties of their customer base play a big role in their decision-making process. Addressing the forces blocking change can have a substantial positive effect on whether someone chooses your offering over another.
Apple strikes me as one company that is well aware of the power of the forces that block change, and has historically put a significant amount of effort into addressing these concerns in their advertising.
One particularly memorable device advertisement was for the iPhone 7 Plus; it centers around a tired barbershop where a father works with a lone customer. In a moment of inspiration, the teenage son, sitting bored in a nearby chair, picks up his iPhone 7 Plus and snaps an ‘after’ shot of the customer with his new haircut; he then hangs a large format poster of this photo in the front window. A passerby sees the photo and is drawn inside, receiving the same fresh treatment and a similar after shot, which is added to the window display.
As more and more photos of happy customers are added to the window (now taken by the father), the lineup for haircuts gets longer and longer. At closing time, the barbershop family is shown sitting exhausted in their chairs, photos of fresh cuts plastering their walls; bits of hair strewn all over the floor mark the end of a highly successful day as the youngest son dances in the foreground of the shop.
Apple’s advertisement speaks to the story of possibility based on a simple, handy device that can make a photographer out of anyone. In one fell swoop, this commercial begins to address the forces that block changing to an iPhone by demonstrating that you don’t need a fancy lighting setup or extensive understanding of technology to get great results from the iPhone 7 Plus.
Populating the four forces diagram
JTBD research can be used to identify the forces at play. There are two opportunities to perform this kind of research over the lifetime that someone uses your product: when people “hire” it, and when they “fire” it.
In terms of the research methods, one tried-and-true approach used by researchers is the switch interview: an in-depth conversation with a customer that focuses on the point of purchase (or departure) and understanding the detailed timeline around it, including the thoughts and context that influenced the decision.
Switch interviews are best done shortly following the decision-point when the criteria for that decision are still fresh in the minds of the customer.
Bob Moesta, a pioneer of Jobs to Be Done Theory, has a few fantastic YouTube videos about switch interviews and the four forces: one recorded session he led with someone who bought a Peloton bike during the covid-19 pandemic, and another where he discusses how he used switch interviews to help his company sell more homes.
How to use this information
Once you have your pushes and pulls identified, you’ll want to determine the top reasons in each category that influence decision-making within your target audience. Investigate those with your team and brainstorm how they can be addressed – perhaps in novel ways – to increase the amount of people switching to your product and lowering the number of people switching away from it.
There may be significant overlap in forces for the majority of customers, but there will almost always be some outlying items in both pushes and pulls due to personal context. While these may not be the top reasons why people switch to/from your product, they are worth investigating at a later point in time; who knows what golden nuggets are underneath the underneath.
JTBD provides insights bigger than your product
When you understand the forces at play in peoples’ lives, you tap a well of potential; not only does your ability to innovate within your offering grow, but you can also use this information to build more effective messaging, marketing, service and strategy.
If you are interested in talking to one of our research and design consultants about how Jobs-to-be-Done can help your digital product design and strategic planning, email us at info@spatialrd.com.
Spatial Research and Design is a leader in providing human-centred design solutions to support innovation in large organizations.
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Continue learning about Jobs Theory
This is article 4/ 5 in a series on Jobs-to-Be-Done:
Article #1: A Brief Introduction to Jobs-to-Be-Done
Article #2: The Principles of Jobs Theory
Article #3: What Jobs Theory Reveals About Your Competitive Landscape
Article #4: Jobs Theory and the Four Forces of Progress
