🎄 Advent Calendar Day 18: Mastering Jobs-to-be-Done and the Hidden Gems of Vinnytsia

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On this festive Day 18, join me, Iryna Komarnitska, as I share insights into the transformative Jobs-to-be-Done framework, introduce you to the charm of Vinnytsia, and tempt your taste buds with a unique Ukrainian delicacy—fermented watermelon! 🎄🍉

Hello, everyone!

I’m Irina Komarnitska, a product marketer at SaaSJet, based in beautiful Ukraine. Today, I have the pleasure of sharing a bit about my small homeland—the Vinnytsia region—and my work at the company.

About Me and My Role

As a product marketer, I aim to ensure our products shine in the market. My days are filled with research, analysis, writing, and crafting new strategies. I love experimenting and finding ways to connect more deeply with our users.

My Passion: The Jobs-to-be-Done Framework

For the past year, I’ve been immersed in the Jobs-to-be-Done (JTBD) framework, which we’ve integrated into one of our products with outstanding results. The impact has been transformative:

• A 30% increase in useful and efficient traffic.
• Better communication with our users.
• Most importantly, a deeper empathy for their needs fosters stronger connections and collaborations.

This framework has helped us improve our strategies and truly understand the “jobs” our users are hiring our products to do. In the end, it’s this understanding that forms the foundation of meaningful, long-lasting relationships.

Let’s dive deeper into how JTBD works and why it’s a game-changer. Shall we? 😊

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How to Create Products That Change Lives Using the Jobs-to-be-Done (JTBD) Framework

Why do people "hire" or "fire" products? Harvard Business School professor Theodore Levitt famously said, "People don't want to buy an inch drill bit. They want an inch hole!" But even more than that, they probably want to hang a picture, transforming their space. Understanding these deeper needs is the essence of the Jobs-to-be-Done (JTBD) framework, which helps businesses create products that deliver meaningful value.

What is the JTBD Concept?

The JTBD framework shifts focus from the products themselves to the tasks customers want to accomplish. Instead of thinking about features, it asks, "What 'job' does this product fulfill for the customer?" Customers "hire" products to solve specific problems, and if the solution stops working for them, they "fire" it in favor of something better.

Key JTBD Principles

1. Jobs Are Contextual: Each job exists within a specific situation, shaped by the customer's circumstances and goals.
2. Focus on Tasks, Not Tools: Customers care about progress, not the tools themselves.
3. Understanding Competition: Competitors aren't just similar products—they're any alternative solution, even unconventional ones.

Why JTBD is Transformative

By focusing on the job rather than the product, JTBD helps businesses:

• Uncover Real Customer Needs: Understand why customers buy your product, not just what they buy.
• Identify Pain Points: Learn where current solutions fall short.
• Create Superior Solutions: Develop products that deliver faster, better, or cheaper results.
• Segment Your Market Effectively: Group customers by the jobs they need to get done rather than by traditional demographics.

JTBD Throughout Product Development

1. Ideation and Problem Validation: Map out the steps of the "job" customers are trying to do and analyze where existing solutions fail.

1. Market Research: Conduct JTBD interviews to capture desired outcomes and prioritize opportunities based on customer dissatisfaction.
2. Design and Development: Use insights to prioritize features and design solutions that better serve the customer's goals.
3. Testing and Validation: Co-create with customers to refine solutions, ensuring they fulfill the job.
4. Launch and Marketing: Position the product around the job it solves, creating marketing that resonates with your audience's needs.
5. Post-Launch Iteration: Continuously monitor satisfaction and adapt as new jobs emerge.

Applying JTBD to Existing Products

JTBD isn't just for new products—it's a powerful tool for improving and positioning existing offerings. Use it to:

• Reprioritize your product roadmap.
• Explore new features that solve unmet needs.
• Refine messaging and advertising to highlight the job your product fulfills.

Whether it's improving documentation, crafting engaging blog content or shaping ad campaigns, JTBD provides a comprehensive toolkit for aligning your product with what truly matters to your customers.

By embracing JTBD, you can go beyond creating products—you'll deliver solutions that truly make a difference.

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Discovering Vinnytsia: A Gem in Central Ukraine

Vinnytsia, a charming city in Central Ukraine, is renowned for its rich history and modern achievements. Frequently recognized as Ukraine’s most comfortable city, it proudly holds the nickname "City of Fountains" and offers plenty to admire.

City of Dancing Fountains
Vinnytsia boasts nearly two dozen fountains, each unique in design. The crown jewel is the Roshen Light and Music Fountain, a stunning spectacle that leaves visitors in awe.

City of Designer Trams
Vinnytsia produces its own stylish trams, designed by a Kyiv-based studio known for customizing luxury cars like Bentley and Ferrari.

The River of Gods
The Southern Bug River, originally called "God" by the Slavs, highlights the land’s fertility and abundance, a testament to the region’s natural wealth.

A Cinematic Past
Vinnytsia gained international fame when Steven Spielberg filmed parts of Schindler's List here in 1997.

Geographic Marvels
The Vinnytsia region, bordering seven other regions and Moldova, is home to the Illinetskyi Crater. This ancient meteorite impact site, over 400 million years old, is one of Europe’s oldest and a rare glimpse of Earth’s celestial history.

Vinnytsia seamlessly blends history, culture, and natural beauty, making it a must-visit destination in Ukraine!

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You’ve Never Tasted Anything Like This: Fermented Watermelon

In the Vinnytsia region, Christmas isn't complete without a surprising delicacy—fermented watermelon. When my husband, from another region, first tried this unique appetizer at my parents’ Christmas table, he was shocked. But one bite, and he was hooked.

Fermented watermelon's tangy, sour taste is unforgettable. It is a burst of summer warmth on cold winter evenings. Beyond its unique flavor, this treat is packed with benefits. Fermentation preserves vitamins and enriches the watermelon with salts, acids, dietary fiber, and enzymes, making it delicious and nutritious.

A slice of sour watermelon is more than an appetizer; it’s a taste of tradition and the perfect way to bring a bit of sunshine to the holiday season.

[Anne Saunders]

I love this whole post - JTBD is transformative, and your homeland is beautiful! 

You REALLY got me with fermented watermelon, though! I live in the middle of the US, in Oklahoma, and we have (what I think is) a very similar Christmas tradition! We call them watermelon pickles or watermelon rind pickles, and they are delicious. They taste like Christmas! :D