Mom Test Customer Interview Prep

Prepare for discovery calls with the Mom Test customer interview routine. Focus on real past behavior, strip out hypotheticals, and lock in clear learning goals.

5 time blocks, 30 minutes in total.

Time blocks

Define Three Key Hypotheses: 5 min
Write down the three main risks or unknowns you need to test
Reframe Hypotheticals to Past Behavior: 10 min
Turn future-tense questions into questions about specific past events
Probe Workarounds and Costs: 5 min
Draft questions asking how they currently solve the problem and pay
Establish Next-Step Commitment Signals: 5 min
Define what counts as a real commitment like time, money, or intro
Commit to Customer Discovery Rules: 5 min
Remind yourself to talk less, avoid pitching, and record exact quotes

About this routine

The Mom Test customer interview routine is based on Rob Fitzpatrick's core principle that people will lie to you if you ask whether your idea is good. To get honest data, you must ask about their real life and past actions rather than opinionated future promises.

This 30-minute preparation workflow forces you to outline specific core hypotheses before opening your call. You review your interview questions to eliminate future hypotheticals and replace them with prompts about how the customer recently handled a problem.

Finally, you set strict ground rules for the call itself. By deciding in advance to keep your pitch hidden and focus strictly on listening, you avoid turning a discovery interview into a premature sales pitch.

Why this routine works

Eliminates false praise and polite lies from interview subjects
Uncovers true customer pain points and existing monetary workarounds
Prevents premature pitching during user research calls

FAQ

What is the Mom Test customer interview routine?

It is a preparation workflow created by Rob Fitzpatrick to design interview questions focused on past customer behavior rather than hypothetical opinions.

Why should you avoid hypothetical questions in customer interviews?

Hypothetical questions lead to polite lies because people want to encourage you. Asking about real past actions reveals actual behavior and spending.

How long does this interview prep routine take?

A focused 30-minute session is enough to review hypotheses, refine questions, and set call rules.

Sources

The Mom Test by Rob Fitzpatrick