The Main Job is a process that you can sequence chronologically into a Job Map. A Job Map reveals the process of completing the job from the executor’s point of view, not the buyer or customer perspective. The intent is to illustrate what the job performer is striving to get done at each stage in executing a job.
A Job Map is not a customer journey, service blueprint, or workflow diagram. It does not reflect what a person does to discover, learn about, select, buy, and use a product or service. These activities are relevant to the buyer and purchasing process.
It’s also not about mapping tasks or physical activities, but about creating a sequence of smaller goals that make up the Main Job. Ideally, the Job Map will not include any means of performing the job.
From your interviews, create a sequence of stages in a visual representation that shows underlying patterns of intent. As you map, think about what the job performer’s subgoals are and the phases of intent that unfold as the job gets done. There is a template in FigJam that you can use for this. The template uses the eight standard phases from Tony Ulwick’s Outcome-Driven Innovation (ODI) method.
Each stage should have a purpose and be formulated as a functional job. Avoid including emotional and social aspects in the stage labels, and avoid bringing in adjectives and qualifiers that indicate a need, like “quickly” or “accurately.” Strive to make the stages as universal and stable as possible without reference to the means of execution. Jobs are separate from solutions.
Consider these job stages as more of a guideline than a prescriptive model. The point is to remember to cover all types of stages involved in executing the main job—before, during, and after. Modify the names of the stages as needed to describe your particular Main Job, but keep them short (ideally expressed as single-word verbs). The table below reflects some common verbs for each of the stage types in the universal job map.
| Stage | Description | Common Verbs |
|---|---|---|
| Define | Determine objectives and plan how to get the job done. | Define, Plan, Select, Determine |
| Locate | Gather materials and information needed to do the job. | Locate, Gather, Access, Retrieve |
| Prepare | Organize materials and create the right setup. | Prepare, Set up, Organize, Examine |
| Confirm | Ensure that everything is ready to perform the job. | Confirm, Validate, Prioritize, Decide |
| Execute | Perform the job as planned. | Execute, Perform, Transact, Administer |
| Monitor | Evaluate success as the job is executed. | Monitor, Verify, Track, Check |
| Modify | Modify and iterate as necessary. | Modify, Update, Adjust, Maintain |
| Conclude | End the job and follow-up. | Conclude, Store, Finish, Close |
You might end up with fewer or more stages than eight. It’s also possible to include a loop for interaction or even a branch in the flow. The diagram you create should stand as a clear model for describing the process of performing the job that everyone in your organization can relate to.
Ideally, you will validate this job map with job performers. Talk through it with them. If the labels and/or divisions between stages need a great deal of explanation or seem to be confusing, rework them until it’s simple enough to be self-explanatory.
You can use a Job Map to identify opportunities and ways to create new value. The Job Map ultimately defines the scope of your business/stage group. Align your solutions to it to spot gaps and opportunities. Compare alternative offerings and means of getting a job done for competitive insight. Prioritize areas within the job process to drive your service roadmap. Find opportunities that can be reflected in marketing campaigns and sales pitches.
To get started, ask yourself these questions:
