Concept · Startup & Growth Frameworks
The Mom Test Rules
Origin: Rob Fitzpatrick
Biological Parallel
The Mom Test rules (talk about their life, ask about specifics, listen more than talk) mirror how ecologists study animal behavior. Don't ask a bird 'Would you eat this berry?'—observe which berries they actually consume and measure nutritional outcomes. Don't ask leading questions about nest preferences—track revealed preferences through nest site selection data. Talk about their life (foraging patterns, predator encounters, seasonal constraints), ask about specifics (What did you eat yesterday? Show me where you found it), and shut up and watch. Field biology succeeds through observation of actual behavior, not surveys about hypothetical intentions. Do the same with customers.