The Mom Test
Overview
The Mom Test is a quick, practical guide that will save you time, money, and heartbreak. They say you shouldn't ask your mom whether your business is a good idea, because she loves you and will lie to you. This applies to everyone: fiancées, friends, and potential customers too. The Mom Test shows you how to talk to customers to figure out if your business is a good idea, when everyone is lying to you.
Key Takeaways
- How to ask good questions that reveal truth
- Avoiding compliments and fluff in customer conversations
- Extracting concrete facts from customer interviews
- Structuring customer development conversations
Who Should Read This Book?
Why Read The Mom Test?
The Mom Test is widely regarded as essential reading in the product strategy & visionspace for product managers. Rob Fitzpatrick's insights have helped thousands of product professionals improve their craft and deliver better products.
Whether you're an aspiring product manager looking to break into the field or an experienced PM seeking to deepen your expertise in product strategy & vision, this book provides practical frameworks and real-world examples that you can apply immediately.
With 1,234 reviews and an average rating of 4.8 out of 5, The Mom Test has proven its value to the product management community. Join the thousands of professionals who have benefited from this essential resource.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why is this book called "The Mom Test"?
The title refers to the idea that even your mom, who wants you to succeed, should give you honest feedback about your product idea if you ask the right questions. The book teaches you how to ask questions that reveal truth rather than polite encouragement.
How long is The Mom Test?
It's a short, focused book at about 130 pages that you can read in 2-3 hours. The concise format makes it perfect for quickly learning customer interview techniques without overwhelming detail. Many teams read it together as a group.
What makes The Mom Test different from other customer research books?
The Mom Test is extremely practical and tactical. Instead of theory, it gives you specific question formats, conversation frameworks, and examples of good vs. bad questions. It focuses specifically on talking to customers about problems, not pitching solutions.
When should I read The Mom Test?
Read it before your next customer interview! It's essential for anyone doing customer discovery, user research, or problem validation. Whether you're a founder validating a startup idea or a PM exploring new features, these interviewing skills are foundational.
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