Product framing

Product Framing

Jobs To Be Done

The Framework

People don't buy products. They hire them to do a job.

When [situation/trigger],
I want to [motivation/action],
so I can [desired outcome].

Writing Good JTBD Statements

Bad: "Users want to track their expenses." This describes a feature, not a job.

Good: "When I check my bank balance and feel anxious, I want to understand where my money is going, so I can feel in control of my finances." This describes the real job: feeling in control, not tracking numbers.

The Four Forces of Progress

When someone switches from one solution to another:

1. Push — Frustration with current solution (pain)
2. Pull — Attraction to new solution (appeal)
3. Inertia — Habit with current solution (friction to change)
4. Anxiety — Fear about new solution (risk of change)

Design should amplify push + pull, and reduce inertia + anxiety.

Positioning

The Formula

For [target user with specific need], [Product name] is a [category] that [primary benefit]. Unlike [key alternative], we [key differentiator].

Positioning Anti-Patterns

• Category of one: "We're a new category" (nobody knows what that means)
• Feature-based: "We have X and Y" (competitors will copy features)
• Audience-based only: "Built for developers" (says nothing about value)
• Price-based: "The affordable X" (race to the bottom)

Feature Narratives

Problem-Agitation-Solution (PAS)

1. Problem — Name the specific pain clearly
2. Agitation — Show the consequences of the pain
3. Solution — Present the feature as the answer

Before-After-Bridge (BAB)

1. Before — What life looks like now (with the problem)
2. After — What life could look like (problem solved)
3. Bridge — How the product gets you there

Feature-Advantage-Benefit (FAB)

1. Feature — What it is (technical)
2. Advantage — What it does (functional)
3. Benefit — Why it matters (emotional/business)

Example:

• Feature: Real-time collaboration
• Advantage: Everyone sees changes instantly
• Benefit: No more version confusion or wasted review cycles