Energy-Based Role Prototyping
by Bob Moesta • Co-founder and CEO at The Rewired Group
Co-creator of the Jobs to Be Done Framework alongside Clay Christensen, founder of eight companies, and adjunct lecturer at the Kellogg School of Management.
🎙️ Episode Context
Bob Moesta demystifies the Jobs to Be Done (JTBD) framework, shifting the focus from product features to the 'struggling moments' that cause customers to hire products. He details the 'Forces of Progress' that drive behavior change, the six-stage timeline of buying (and hiring), and advanced interviewing techniques to uncover hidden causality. The conversation applies these principles to product innovation, sales, and career development, emphasizing that people don't buy products—they hire them to make progress under specific contexts.
Problem It Solves
Prevents building solutions that work functionally but fail because they ignore emotional or social friction.
Framework Overview
This framework breaks down the 'energy' required to make progress into three distinct dimensions. When prototyping a role or product, one must solve not just for functional needs but for the complete energy profile of the user.
🧠 Framework Structure
Functional Energy: The logistical tim...
Emotional Energy: The internal feelin...
Social Energy: How the choice affects...
When to Use
When defining the requirements for a new hire or product feature to ensure holistic fit.
Common Mistakes
Designing strictly for functional specs (e.g., salary, skills) while ignoring emotional drivers (e.g., feeling overlooked) or social drivers (e.g., job title status).
Real World Example
An employee taking a pay cut (Functional loss) to gain a 'Founder' title (Social gain) and reduce stress (Emotional gain).
There's functional energy... emotional energy... and social aspects, how I want others to perceive me.
— Bob Moesta