A different look at the quarter-inch hole

Sometimes the problem at hand drives the level of abstraction. In these instances, we need to look at Jobs-to-be-Done horizontally

Many of you have probably seen this quote from former Harvard Business School professor Theodore Levitt...

People don’t want to buy a quarter-inch drill. They want a quarter-inch hole!

While he stated this back in the 1960's, I still see many people today get stuck on what he was saying. Those who are new to Jobs-to-be-Done Theory (Jobs Theory) get stuck on this as they attempt to understand the Jobs in their lives, or in the work they do for their customers.

Almost everyone contemplates the purpose of the hole. Was it to join two pieces of wood with a bolt? Was it to hang a shelf? Is the user ultimately trying to decorate their home? We could go on forever. There are many reasons why someone might want a quarter-inch hole. Depending on the ultimate purpose of the hole…

• There could be competing types of drills or bits

• There could be competing ways to fasten whatever is needs to be fastened, e.g., purpose-built clips, glue, self-tapping screws, etc.

• If it's a fastening solution it's also pos…