The failure of submarines to play a role in Jutland was ultimately due to the intrinsic limitations of WW1 era submarines. Submarines of this period were slow, both submerged and surfaced. The typical British submarine, the E-Class, had a top speed of 15 knots surfaced, and 9 submerged. Their German counterparts had a slightly higher top speed. When compared to the battlefleets, which could make about 20 knots, but typically cruised at about 15, the limitation becomes clear. Submarines could not accompany the battlefleet to sea - at their unsustainable top speeds, they were only just fast enough to keep up with the battleships. This meant that they had to be deployed in advance of any battle. As it was impossible to determine exactly where the two battlefleets would clash, submarines were typically deployed in patrol lines across the likely transit path of the opposing fleet. The Germans had done this in advance of Jutland. However, their original plan for naval operations in May 1916 was for their battlecruiser force to raid the British East Coast, in the hope of drawing out elements of the Grand Fleet to defeat in detail. This plan had to be cancelled due to poor weather and a more limited plan which sent German cruisers into the Skagerrak was planned. This change in plans meant that the submarines were out of position for the British response. The British were planning to put a force, supported by submarines, into position on the 2nd of June, but this didn't sail due to the battle. Altogether, this meant that there were no submarines that could be in a position to interfere with the battle, from either side

Pretty much every navy, with the exception of the Russians, tried to solve this problem, and build a submarine that could accompany the battlefleet. The British came closest, constructing two classes of fast submarines. The first was the diesel-powered J-class, using a pioneering long, thin hull form. They weren't successful, being limited to a speed of 19.5 knots when surfaced. The K-class, which succeeded them, used the same hull form, but with steam propulsion instead. Steam was the really the only way to achieve high speeds at the time, and arguably still is (though today we use nuclear reactors to create steam, rather than boilers). These weren't especially successful either, even if they were quick enough to keep up with the fleet. The long thin hull made them unmaneuverable, and they originally didn't have enough freeboard forward to take advantage of their high speed in any sort of sea. There were also issues with slow diving speeds, and poor crew habitability.