The Mom Test by Rob Fitzpatrick [Book Summary PDF]
Here are 3 simple rules to help you. They are collectively called (drumroll) The Mom Test:

Talk about their life instead of your idea Ask about specifics in the past instead of generics or opinions about the future Talk less and listen more.

The questions to ask are about your customers’ lives: their problems, cares, constraints, and goals. You humbly and honestly gather as much information about them as you can and then take your own visionary leap to a solution. Once you’ve taken the leap, you confirm that it’s correct through Commitment & Advancement.

Avoiding bad data

There are three types of bad data:

Compliments Fluff (generics, hypotheticals, and the future) Ideas

Sometimes we invite the bad data ourselves by asking the wrong questions, but even when you try to follow The Mom Test, conversations still go off track. It could happen because you got excited and started pitching.

Asking Important questions

In addition to ensuring that you aren’t asking trivialities, you also need to search out the world-rocking scary questions you’ve been unintentionally shrinking from. The best way to find them is with thought experiments. Imagine that the company has failed and ask why that happened. Then imagine it as a huge success and ask what had to be true to get there. Find ways to learn about those critical pieces.

Pre-plan the 3 most important things you want to learn from any given type of person (e.g. customers, investors, industry experts, key hires, etc). Update the list as your questions change. Your 3 questions will be different for each type of person you’re talking to. If you have multiple types of customers or partners, have a list of each.

Don’t stress too much about choosing the “right” important questions. They will change. Just choose whatever seems murkiest or most important right now. Answer those will give you firmer footing and a better sense of direction for your next 3.

You might get answers 1–3 from customer A, answer 4 from customer B, answers 5–7 from customer C. There’s overlap and repetition, but you don’t need to repeat the full set of questions with every participant. Your time is valuable: don’t feel obligated to repeat questions you already have solid data on. Pick up where you left off and keep filling in the picture.
['Daniel Morales']
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