Jobs to be Done (JTBD)
for Research and experimental development on natural sciences and engineering (ISIC 7210)
JTBD is highly relevant to the R&D sector as it directly addresses critical challenges in market relevance, funding justification, and impact generation. By focusing on the 'job' a solution performs rather than the solution itself, R&D organizations can better understand unmet needs, anticipate...
Strategic Overview
The 'Jobs to be Done' (JTBD) framework offers a powerful lens for the Research and Experimental Development on Natural Sciences and Engineering sector to move beyond technology-driven innovation to a problem-centric approach. By deeply understanding the functional, emotional, and social 'jobs' that various stakeholders—from industry partners and government agencies to the broader society—are trying to get done, R&D organizations can better align their research efforts with real-world needs and market demands. This approach shifts the focus from merely developing new technologies to delivering impactful solutions that solve specific, unmet needs.
In an industry grappling with challenges like 'Maintaining Relevance & Expertise' (MD01), 'High Investment Risk in Niche Areas' (MD01), and 'Demonstrating ROI & Value' (MD03), JTBD provides a strategic compass. It helps prioritize research projects, allocate resources more effectively, and articulate the value proposition of complex scientific endeavors in terms that resonate with funders and end-users. This not only enhances the potential for successful commercialization and adoption but also mitigates the risk of pursuing research that, while scientifically sound, lacks a clear application or societal benefit. Ultimately, JTBD can transform how R&D organizations define their mission and measure their success.
4 strategic insights for this industry
Shifting from Technology-Push to Problem-Pull Innovation
Historically, much R&D has been 'technology-push,' developing advancements and then seeking applications. JTBD reverses this, forcing researchers to identify specific 'jobs' (problems/needs) that customers/society are trying to solve, and then designing research to fulfill those jobs. This mitigates 'Market Obsolescence & Substitution Risk' (MD01) by ensuring relevance.
Holistic 'Job' Definition for Interdisciplinary Solutions
Defining 'jobs' encompasses not just functional tasks but also emotional (e.g., 'feel secure about new tech') and social (e.g., 'be seen as a leader') dimensions. This encourages R&D to consider broader contexts and often leads to interdisciplinary research and more comprehensive solutions that address 'Cultural Friction & Normative Misalignment' (CS01).
Improved Justification and Funding for Fundamental Research
Even for fundamental research, JTBD can help articulate long-term societal 'jobs' that require foundational scientific breakthroughs. This aids in 'Demonstrating ROI & Value' (MD03) and navigating 'Funding Volatility & Competition' (MD03) by providing a compelling narrative beyond pure scientific curiosity.
Prioritization Based on 'Job' Importance and Dissatisfaction
JTBD allows R&D organizations to prioritize projects based on how important a 'job' is to the customer and how poorly existing solutions fulfill it. This data-driven prioritization reduces 'High Investment Risk in Niche Areas' (MD01) and ensures resources are allocated to areas with maximum potential impact.
Prioritized actions for this industry
Integrate 'Job Story' Development into Research Proposal Frameworks
Mandate that all new research proposals include a clear 'job story' ('When X, I want to Y, so I can Z') from the perspective of the intended beneficiary. This forces researchers to articulate the real-world problem and value proposition upfront.
Conduct Regular 'Job Interviews' with Diverse Stakeholders
Establish a continuous process of interviewing, observing, and understanding the 'jobs' of industry partners, end-users, policy makers, and even the general public. This primary research feeds directly into identifying unmet needs and informing strategic research directions.
Form Cross-Functional 'Job Teams' for Problem Scoping
Before commencing large projects, convene teams comprising researchers, market analysts, and potential end-users to collaboratively define and refine the 'job-to-be-done.' This ensures research is grounded in actual needs and improves the likelihood of adoption.
From quick wins to long-term transformation
- Conduct introductory JTBD workshops for research team leads and principal investigators.
- Pilot JTBD interviews for 1-2 existing projects to reframe their value proposition.
- Create a simple template for 'job stories' to be included in internal project summaries.
- Integrate JTBD methodology into the formal grant application and project funding review processes.
- Establish a dedicated 'customer insights' function or role within larger R&D organizations to continuously identify and articulate jobs.
- Develop a centralized repository of identified 'jobs' and associated research opportunities.
- Cultivate an organizational culture where all research initiatives are instinctively framed around solving a specific 'job-to-be-done'.
- Align long-term strategic R&D roadmaps and portfolio management directly with societal and industry 'jobs'.
- Develop metrics and incentive structures that reward research impact in terms of 'job fulfillment' rather than just scientific output.
- Confusing features/solutions with actual 'jobs'.
- Lack of deep empathy and superficial understanding of customer needs.
- Internal resistance to changing established research methodologies and proposal formats.
- Difficulty in applying JTBD to purely fundamental or exploratory research where the 'job' is highly abstract or long-term.
- Failing to integrate insights back into the research execution and development cycle.
Measuring strategic progress
| Metric | Description | Target Benchmark |
|---|---|---|
| Number of Projects Linked to Defined 'Jobs' | Percentage of active research projects that can directly articulate a specific 'job-to-be-done' by an identifiable beneficiary. | 80% of new projects within 2 years |
| Stakeholder Satisfaction (Job Fulfillment) | Survey-based satisfaction scores from industry partners, funders, or end-users on how well research outcomes address their identified 'jobs'. | Improvement by 15% over 3 years |
| Funding Success Rate for Job-Centric Proposals | The success rate of grant applications or funding pitches that explicitly use the JTBD framework to articulate their value. | 10% increase above baseline |
Other strategy analyses for Research and experimental development on natural sciences and engineering
Also see: Jobs to be Done (JTBD) Framework