Agent skill
jtbd-psychographic-research
Provides Jobs-to-be-Done and psychographic research frameworks for brand identity work. Auto-activates during brand positioning, voice development, messaging, and strategy phases. Use when discussing target audience, customer research, JTBD, jobs to be done, four forces, push pull anxiety habit, emotional jobs, social jobs, functional jobs, limbic types, VALS segments, psychographics, or customer motivations.
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SKILL.md
JTBD & Psychographic Research Frameworks
Quick reference for Jobs-to-be-Done and psychographic frameworks that inform brand strategy. This skill auto-activates during brand work to ensure audience insights inform every phase.
"95% of purchasing decisions are made in the subconscious mind." — Gerald Zaltman, Harvard
The Three Job Types
Every "job" customers hire a product for has three dimensions:
| Dimension | Question | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Functional | What task are they accomplishing? | "Watch content without ads" |
| Emotional | How do they want to FEEL? | "Feel relaxed, avoid boredom" |
| Social | How do they want to be SEEN? | "Recommend shows, feel in-the-know" |
Job Statement Format: "When [situation], I want to [motivation], so I can [outcome]."
The Four Forces of Progress (Bob Moesta)
Why customers switch (or don't):
PROMOTING FORCES
┌────────────────────────────┐
│ PUSH PULL │
│ (Struggles) (Attraction)│
├────────────────────────────┤
│ HABIT ANXIETY │
│ (Comfort) (Fear) │
└────────────────────────────┘
BLOCKING FORCES
The Formula: If Push + Pull > Anxiety + Habit, they switch.
| Force | Key Question |
|---|---|
| PUSH | "What frustrates you about your current solution?" |
| PULL | "What excites you about this alternative?" |
| ANXIETY | "What worries you about switching?" |
| HABIT | "What would you miss about your current approach?" |
Limbic Types (Hans-Georg Hausel)
Three emotional systems drive behavior:
| System | Driven By | Brand Response |
|---|---|---|
| Stimulance | Novelty, fun, exploration | Scarcity, newness |
| Dominance | Status, control, power | Exclusivity, prestige |
| Balance | Security, stability | Social proof, familiarity |
Seven Types: Traditionalist, Harmonizer, Open Connoisseur, Hedonist, Adventurer, Performer, Disciplined
VALS Segments
Segments by motivation + resources:
| Motivation | High Resources | Low Resources |
|---|---|---|
| Ideals (knowledge) | Thinkers | Believers |
| Achievement (success) | Achievers | Strivers |
| Self-Expression (variety) | Experiencers | Makers |
Plus: Innovators (any motivation, high resources) and Survivors (security-focused, low resources)
HBR Emotional Motivators
Key drivers of customer value:
- "Helps me be creative"
- "Feel revived and refreshed"
- "Sense of belonging"
- "Stand out from the crowd"
- "Feel secure"
- "Succeed in life"
- "Be the person I want to be"
Key Finding: Emotionally connected customers have 306% higher lifetime value.
Research-to-Strategy Bridge
How audience insights inform brand decisions:
| Research Finding | Informs |
|---|---|
| Primary JTBD | Brand Promise |
| Push Forces | Problem Messaging |
| Pull Forces | Benefit Messaging |
| Anxiety Forces | Trust Signals |
| Emotional Jobs | Emotional Territory |
| Social Jobs | Brand Personality |
| Core Values | Brand Values |
| Limbic Type | Visual & Tonal Direction |
When to Apply These Frameworks
During Positioning
- Use Four Forces to identify switching dynamics
- Map emotional territory based on Jobs
During Voice Development
- Match tone to Limbic profile
- Reflect audience's actual language
During Messaging
- Address Push forces in problem messaging
- Highlight Pull forces in benefits
- Counter Anxiety forces with proof
During Visual Direction
- Align aesthetic with Limbic type
- Reflect social jobs in imagery
Templates
See reference/templates.md for:
- Forces of Progress Canvas
- Job Story Template
- Psychographic Profile Summary
- Research-to-Strategy Bridge
Deep Methodology
For comprehensive JTBD interview techniques, detailed framework application, and full output structure, the brand-audience-researcher agent contains 500+ lines of expert methodology.
Key Principles
- Emotional > Functional: Emotional jobs often drive decisions more than functional ones
- All Three Dimensions: Never skip emotional and social jobs
- Capture the Forces: Understanding push/pull/anxiety/habit is essential for positioning
- Use Their Language: Capture actual words people use — gold for brand voice
- Be the Only: "Be THE ONLY, not the best." — Marty Neumeier
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