Startups For the Rest of Us Episode 577 | Finding the Right Problem to Solve
Nov 23, 2021
Jim Kalbach, an expert in customer needs and the Jobs to Be Done (JTBD) framework, joins the discussion to uncover how startups can define and identify the right problems to solve. He explains the stability of JTBD over time and the importance of a solution-agnostic mindset. Kalbach shares practical insights on conducting customer interviews, including switch interviews, to discover real user needs. Listeners can learn how to enhance their innovation strategies and align their products with genuine customer pain points.
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Frame Problems Before Solutions
- Jobs to Be Done is a framework to describe customer problems independent of solutions or brands.
- It helps predict adoption and points startups toward product-market fit before building.
Jobs Stay The Same Across Tech Shifts
- Jobs (the problems people try to solve) remain stable over time even as technologies change.
- Removing technology from the description future-proofs product thinking and reveals lasting needs.
Choose Who And What To Solve First
- First pick who you want to serve and which problem area you want to solve to scope your domain.
- Narrow stakeholders and problems to a focused target before applying JTBD techniques.