Job Stories
What Are Job Stories?
Job stories are concise narratives that describe a customer’s situation, motivation, and desired outcome when trying to complete a job-to-be-done. They replace traditional user stories by focusing on context rather than personas or features.
A typical job story format is: "When [situation], I want to [motivation], so I can [desired outcome]."
Example: "When I’m running late for work, I want to order coffee ahead of time, so I can pick it up quickly."
Why Are Job Stories Important?
How Do Job Stories Improve Product Development?
Job stories help teams:
- Focus on customer needs rather than assumptions about personas.
- Prioritize features based on real-world contexts.
- Align cross-functional teams around customer outcomes.
How Can You Create Effective Job Stories?
- Conduct JTBD interviews to gather insights into customer situations.
- Use the "When/I want/So I can" format for clarity.
- Validate stories with real customer feedback.
