"The Mom Test: How to Talk to Customers and Learn if Your Business is a Good Idea When Everyone is Lying to You" is a book written by Rob Fitzpatrick. The book focuses on the concept of conducting effective customer interviews to validate business ideas and gather valuable feedback. The central premise of the book is that traditional questions like "Do you think this is a good idea?" often lead to biased and unhelpful answers because people tend to be polite and avoid giving negative feedback. Instead, Fitzpatrick introduces the idea of asking questions that are framed in a way that minimizes the potential for biased or dishonest responses. He uses the analogy of talking to your mom – someone who cares about you but won't hesitate to tell you the truth if your idea isn't good. Hence, the title "The Mom Test." The book emphasizes the following key principles: 1. **Talking about the past**: Instead of hypothetical questions, focus on asking about specific experiences or events from the past. For example, ask potential customers about problems they've faced related to your idea and how they've attempted to solve them. 2. **Getting specifics**: Encourage interviewees to provide concrete details and examples rather than vague opinions. This helps you gain deeper insights into their actual experiences and pain points. 3. **Listening more than talking**: The goal of the interview is to learn from the customer, so it's important to listen actively and let them guide the conversation. Avoid pitching your idea during the interview. 4. **Avoid leading questions**: Ask open-ended questions that don't steer the interviewee towards a particular answer. This prevents confirmation bias and encourages honest responses. 5. **Pay attention to actions, not words**: People's actions often speak louder than their words. Look for signs that potential customers are actively trying to solve the problem your idea addresses. 6. **Seek negative feedback**: Encourage interviewees to share their concerns and criticisms. Negative feedback is often more valuable than positive feedback as it helps you identify areas for improvement. 7. **Iterate and adapt**: Use the insights from customer interviews to refine your business idea. Continuously iterate and adjust your approach based on the feedback you receive. "The Mom Test" provides practical advice and real-world examples to help entrepreneurs and product developers conduct effective customer interviews that provide valuable insights for building successful products or services. By asking the right questions and focusing on genuine customer experiences, the book aims to help readers avoid the pitfalls of confirmation bias and wishful thinking that can lead to wasted time and resources on unviable business ideas.