Anatomy of a JTBD Canvas

The Domain: Where do you want to innovate?

Start by identifying the relevant area within your Stage Group to help determine who you’re innovating for and what they need to accomplish.

Job Performer: Who do you want to innovate for?

A Job Performer is the person executing a specific job, distinct from their job title. After identifying your domain, focus on one Job Performer aligned with the Main Job.

Key characteristics:

• Describes an individual role, not a job title
• Avoids compound descriptions (no AND/OR)
• Remains high-level, not a detailed persona
• Simple and directly connected to the target job

[Optional] Related Job Performers: Who affects our Job Performer?

Identifying other actors who relate for your Domain can provide valuable context and aide in selecting a primary Job Performer. Once a Job Performer is selected, these related Job Performers can be documented and explored with their own canvases later if needed.

Job Performers vs. Personas

While user personas represent job titles (like “Software Developer”), Job Performers focus on specific tasks within roles. One persona may handle multiple Main Jobs (coding, reviewing, maintaining infrastructure), and different personas may share the same Job Performer role. For example, various roles might review code, but we’d use a single “Code Reviewer” Job Performer to understand that specific task.

Main Job: What is the Job Performer trying to get done?

A Main Job is a timeless, functional goal that serves as the focus for innovation, representing what the Job Performer wants to accomplish independent of any specific solution.

Key characteristics:

• Begins with an action verb
• Has a clear end state
• Avoids compound descriptions (no AND/OR)
• Remains solution and technology agnostic
• Excludes adjectives (which belong in Outcomes)
• Stays broad enough to allow innovation

Structure: [verb] + [object] + [optional clarifier]

• Verb: Action to accomplish
• Object: Target of the action
• Clarifier: Additional context or conditions

Related Jobs: What else is the Job Performer trying to get done?

Consider 3-6 other goals the Job Performer has within the Domain. They should be distinct objectives and formulated at a similar level of detail. These Related Jobs can be explored with their own canvases later if needed.

Aspirations: What does the Job Performer aspire to become?

Aspirations are typically 1-3 “be” goals representing the Job Performer’s desired personal growth from completing the Main Job. They sit at the top of the canvas, hierarchically above the Main Job.

Example hierarchy for home ownership:

• Job Performer: New homeowner
• Aspirations: Be happy with home life, Be part of a local community
• Main Job: Acquire a new home
• Related Jobs: Finance a new home, Move homes, Sell old home

Job Steps: How does the Job Performer get the job done?

Job Steps are the sequential objectives a Job Performer must complete to accomplish their Main Job. They form a Job Map, with each step being high-level rather than individual tasks. Keep steps broad enough to apply to all performers of the job.

Key characteristics:

• Begins with an action verb in first person
• Avoids compound descriptions (no AND/OR)
• Remains solution agnostic
• Flows left to right through stages
  • Sub-steps stack vertically within each stage

Outcomes: How does the Job Performer measure success?

Outcomes are the subjective criteria Job Performers use to gauge success. A Main Job typically has 50-100 Outcome statements.

Key characteristics:

• Begins with a directional verb (minimize, increase, etc.)
• Includes a measurable unit (time, effort, likelihood)
• Ends with job-specific qualifiers
• Avoids compound statements (no AND/OR)
• Remains solution agnostic

Emotional/Social Aspects: How does the Job Performer feel and want to be perceived?

Emotional and social aspects represent the experiential side of the job, helping shape how solutions should be delivered to meet Job Performers’ personal needs.

Key characteristics of Emotional aspects:

• Begins with “feel” or “avoid feeling”
• Indicates a specific emotion
• Avoids compound statements (no AND/OR)
• Remains solution agnostic

Key characteristics of Social aspects:

• Begins with “appear as” or “avoid appearing as”
• Indicates social perceptions
• Avoids compound statements (no AND/OR)
• Remains solution agnostic

Understanding these aspects helps design solutions that address both functional and personal needs - like adding time-saving features for programmers concerned about appearing efficient.

Job Differentiators: What factors influence how the job gets done?

Job Differentiators are circumstances that affect how the job is performed, typically involving time, manner, or place.

Key characteristics:

• Begins with “if”
• Shows range of options using “versus/vs”
• Avoids compound statements (no AND/OR)
• Remains solution agnostic

These differentiators can help narrow the Main Job’s scope (e.g., “get energy in the morning” vs. “get energy in the afternoon at work”).

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