methodatlas
Session Builder

Plan my session

Plan a concrete work block with agenda, roles, preparation, and a copyable result artifact.

Method session60 min per interview, 8-12 interviews total, 1-2 days synthesisWorkshop or asyncJob Stories

Session: Jobs to Be Done

The plan translates the method into a concrete facilitated work block. Your inputs flow directly into the session brief and work artifact.

Derived automatically

Method session with 5-12 Interviews. The plan uses the existing method logic and the runsheet.

Runsheet
Participation logic
Team round, shared work and alignment

Use the session for shared understanding. Contributions are collected visibly, assumptions are aligned, and open differences remain traceable in the artifact.

Outcome logic
Finish artifact

The session works directly toward Job Stories. After the session, the artifact should be shareable, reviewable, or reusable.

  1. 1

    Phase 1: Secure sample

    1 week before

    Recruit 8-12 switchers who made a decision in the last 90 days. Spread sample across two or three segments, not only power users. Hint: Without recent decisions, memory becomes distorted. Switches older than 90 days are rationalized after the fact.

    FacilitatorJob Stories
  2. 2

    Phase 2: Timeline interviews

    60 min each

    Walk chronologically through the switch story: first thought, passive looking, active looking, decision, first use, habit. Ask for concrete dates, locations, and triggers. Hint: Starting with "why did you buy" yields marketing answers. First thought belongs at the end of the timeline, not at the beginning.

    FacilitatorOutcome Statements
  3. 3

    Phase 3: Forces of Progress

    20 min each, then in workshop

    Reconstruct four forces per interview: Push (friction with status quo), Pull (attraction to new product), Anxiety (concerns), Habit (inertia). Use quote evidence. Hint: If only Push and Pull are strong, depth is missing. Anxiety and Habit distinguish someone merely interested from an actual switcher.

    FacilitatorOpportunity List
  4. 4

    Phase 4: Job synthesis

    4-6 h workshop

    Look for patterns across interviews. Formulate job statement: "When [situation], I want [motivation], so that [expected outcome]". Summarize typical forces for each job. Hint: Three to five jobs are realistic. If workshop identifies 15 jobs, many are tasks, not jobs. Aggregate to a higher outcome level.

    FacilitatorJob Stories
  5. 5

    Phase 5: Implications

    1-2 h

    For each prioritized job, define concrete implications: positioning, messaging, feature hypotheses, and new hiring triggers in marketing. Include owner and follow-up step. Hint: If no concrete implications emerge, the interview was too superficial or synthesis too generic. Better to sharpen and continue than close vaguely.

    OwnerOutcome Statements
  6. 6

    Publish artifact

    10 min

    Check the artifact for completeness, define location, set version or status, and name review recipients.

    OwnerJob Stories
Usable artifact

Session Brief

For invitations, boards, tickets, PR descriptions, or workshop notes.

session-brief.md

Session Brief: Jobs to Be Done

Goal

Artifact: Job Stories

Working Question

What concrete job were switchers trying to get done, and which four forces led them to the current product?

Context

Hypotheses about the job; competing products and alternatives (including non-digital ones); switch triggers from earlier data (support, surveys); consent forms.

Setup

  • Format: Method session
  • Duration: 60 min per interview, 8-12 interviews total, 1-2 days synthesis
  • Mode: Workshop or async
  • Participants: One interviewer with experience in open interviews; one note-taker per session; one synthesis lead for later analysis; at least two additional stakeholders as observers distributed across the sample.
  • Owner: One interviewer with experience in open interviews
  • Participation mode: Team round, shared work and alignment
  • Outcome logic: Finish artifact

Participation Logic

Use the session for shared understanding. Contributions are collected visibly, assumptions are aligned, and open differences remain traceable in the artifact.

Outcome Logic

The session works directly toward Job Stories. After the session, the artifact should be shareable, reviewable, or reusable.

Input

Interview guide with Forces-of-Progress lens; recording device (with consent); transcription tool (Otter, Whisper); synthesis board (Miro with timeline and forces axes); interview slots in calendar.

Preparation

One note-taker per interview slot. Test recording setup in advance. Guide interviews in chronological order: First Thought -> Passive Looking -> Active Looking -> Decision -> First Use -> Habit. Block synthesis session directly after last interview.

Agenda

  1. Phase 1: Secure sample (1 week before) Owner: Facilitator Action: Recruit 8-12 switchers who made a decision in the last 90 days. Spread sample across two or three segments, not only power users. Hint: Without recent decisions, memory becomes distorted. Switches older than 90 days are rationalized after the fact. Output: Job Stories

  2. Phase 2: Timeline interviews (60 min each) Owner: Facilitator Action: Walk chronologically through the switch story: first thought, passive looking, active looking, decision, first use, habit. Ask for concrete dates, locations, and triggers. Hint: Starting with "why did you buy" yields marketing answers. First thought belongs at the end of the timeline, not at the beginning. Output: Outcome Statements

  3. Phase 3: Forces of Progress (20 min each, then in workshop) Owner: Facilitator Action: Reconstruct four forces per interview: Push (friction with status quo), Pull (attraction to new product), Anxiety (concerns), Habit (inertia). Use quote evidence. Hint: If only Push and Pull are strong, depth is missing. Anxiety and Habit distinguish someone merely interested from an actual switcher. Output: Opportunity List

  4. Phase 4: Job synthesis (4-6 h workshop) Owner: Facilitator Action: Look for patterns across interviews. Formulate job statement: "When [situation], I want [motivation], so that [expected outcome]". Summarize typical forces for each job. Hint: Three to five jobs are realistic. If workshop identifies 15 jobs, many are tasks, not jobs. Aggregate to a higher outcome level. Output: Job Stories

  5. Phase 5: Implications (1-2 h) Owner: Owner Action: For each prioritized job, define concrete implications: positioning, messaging, feature hypotheses, and new hiring triggers in marketing. Include owner and follow-up step. Hint: If no concrete implications emerge, the interview was too superficial or synthesis too generic. Better to sharpen and continue than close vaguely. Output: Outcome Statements

  6. Publish artifact (10 min) Owner: Owner Action: Check the artifact for completeness, define location, set version or status, and name review recipients. Output: Job Stories

Closeout

  • Update result artifact: Job Stories
  • Define location, version, and review recipients.
  • Define owner, next step, and review date.
Usable artifact

Work artifact

Pre-filled starting point based on the matching template.

work-artifact.md

Job Stories: Jobs to Be Done

Working Question

What concrete job were switchers trying to get done, and which four forces led them to the current product?

Context

Hypotheses about the job; competing products and alternatives (including non-digital ones); switch triggers from earlier data (support, surveys); consent forms.

Participants

  • Owner: One interviewer with experience in open interviews
  • Participants: One interviewer with experience in open interviews; one note-taker per session; one synthesis lead for later analysis; at least two additional stakeholders as observers distributed across the sample.

Input

Interview guide with Forces-of-Progress lens; recording device (with consent); transcription tool (Otter, Whisper); synthesis board (Miro with timeline and forces axes); interview slots in calendar.

Template

Jobs to Be Done Working Template

Goal

Frames demand through the progress that customers want to achieve.

Context

When and for what do we use this method?

Input

Which data, observations, decisions, or materials are available?

Execution

Short notes along the runsheet.

Output artifacts

  • Job stories:
  • Outcome statements:
  • Opportunity list:

Assumptions and open questions

  • ...

Decision / next step

Owner, date, and success signal.

Completion Check

  • Job Stories is complete enough for review:
  • Location:
  • Version / status:
  • Review by:
  • Next step:

Next Step

  • Review result
  • Mark open questions
  • Schedule review or decision
Template base

Jobs to Be Done Working Template

View templateCompact working template for Jobs to Be Done with context, input, output artifacts, and next step.
markdown

jtbd-working-template.md

Compact working template for Jobs to Be Done with context, input, output artifacts, and next step.

Jobs to Be Done Working Template

Goal

Frames demand through the progress that customers want to achieve.

Context

When and for what do we use this method?

Input

Which data, observations, decisions, or materials are available?

Execution

Short notes along the runsheet.

Output artifacts

  • Job stories:
  • Outcome statements:
  • Opportunity list:

Assumptions and open questions

  • ...

Decision / next step

Owner, date, and success signal.

Ready to use when
  • Working question, owner, and target artifact are visible.
  • The result fits Job Stories.
  • Study as standalone document with date and sample size. Assign IDs to job statements (JOB-01, JOB-02) and reference them in roadmap and backlog. Treat follow-up studies as new versions; do not overwrite old ones.
  • Open questions are noted as follow-ups.
  • The next review or decision point is scheduled.
ProfileRunsheet