Job map: depicting the full process of a customer completing a job in a structured way

The Jobs-to-be-Done (JTBD) theory emphasizes that customers do not buy products but "hire" products to complete a task (Job). So, how exactly is a job completed? What steps does the customer go through, what obstacles do they encounter, and what metrics do they use to measure success? The answers to these questions determine the entry point for innovation. The Job Map tool provides a clear solution for this.

A Job Map breaks down the process of a customer completing a specific task into a series of logical steps. Unlike traditional flowcharts, a Job Map does not focus on specific products or technologies, but rather on the task logic within the customer's mind. Regardless of how an industry changes, the steps a customer takes to complete a task are usually stable because they stem from natural human problem-solving patterns.

Anthony Ulwick summarized the eight universal steps customers take to complete a job:

1. Define: Clarify the goal of the task to be completed.

2. Locate: Find the inputs, information, or resources needed for the task.

3. Prepare: Set up the resources or environment to facilitate execution.

4. Confirm: Verify that preparations are complete to avoid errors.

5. Execute: Perform the core action to complete the task.

6. Monitor: Observe progress in real-time to ensure it meets expectations.

7. Modify: Make necessary corrections based on feedback.

8. Conclude: Confirm the task is achieved and wrap up.

These eight steps constitute a universal "job chain" for customers. Each step may harbor needs that are inefficiently met or completely unmet, becoming potential opportunities for innovation.

Companies often use a Customer Journey Map to analyze customer experience, but journey maps focus on touchpoints between the customer and the brand, as well as emotional curves. In contrast, a Job Map is more neutral; it does not rely on specific brands or channels but describes the objective steps the customer goes through "to get the job done." Therefore, it helps companies step out of their own product perspective and systematically identify innovation space starting from the customer's logic.

For example, assume a customer's job is "to cook a healthy dinner at home." A customer journey might describe the full process from going to the supermarket to buy food, to cooking, to sharing photos. However, a Job Map would be more granular: Define menu → Locate ingredients → Prepare kitchen tools → Confirm if necessary conditions are met → Execute cooking → Monitor heat → Adjust seasoning → Conclude and wrap up. Each step can be used to discover unmet needs, such as "how to find healthy recipes faster," "how to precisely control cooking heat," or "how to reduce cleanup time." These specific unmet points are the real starting points for practical innovation.

In healthcare innovation, Job Maps often help identify opportunities. The job chain for a patient completing an imaging examination includes: Make appointment → Locate hospital/equipment → Prepare documents and physical condition → Confirm exam time and requirements → Execute examination → Monitor if results are proceeding smoothly → Adjust for follow-up → Conclude exam and obtain report.

Through this path analysis, it was found that pain points were most obvious in the "Prepare" and "Conclude" (obtaining results) stages: tedious document preparation and long wait times for reports. Based on these insights, companies introduced features for mobile document uploading and instant report notifications. This significantly improved the patient experience and became a competitive advantage for the equipment.

The Job Map provides a structured path for innovation centered around tasks. Through it, companies can see every detail of the customer completing the task, clarify which links have room for improvement, and thereby propose precise, actionable innovation plans.