I highly recommend the Mom Test book by Rob Fitzpatrick. But I know many tech founders are too busy and often don't want to read non-technical books. I am guilty of this but am trying harder to escape that habit. As I read the Mom Test, I quickly realized that asking the right questions to potential users/customers is a crucial way to validate the business idea or the product or service. The book spends considerable time on examples that teach the readers how to frame the questions in the correct tense and perspectives.
So, I had a bright idea: What if I ask ChatGPT to generate a user/customer interview question set based on this book? I did, and it was very good. So, I figured I should develop a generic prompt template that others can use to benefit from LLMs that have the core knowledge of the book and help the founder at least get a good sample of the questions in their niche.
So here is the prompt I generated:
Prompt:
I am a founder in the [insert niche market here] industry. I am developing a product/service called [insert product/service name here] that aims to [briefly describe the product/service and its intended benefits]. I aim to validate the need for this product/service, understand the potential customer's pain points, and assess the demand within this niche market.
Please generate a set of customer interview questions that will help me:
- Understand the current practices and tools my potential customers use.
- Identify the challenges and pain points they face related to [specific problem your product/service solves].
- Explore their experiences and the impact of these challenges on their work/life.
- Introduce my product/service concept without pitching, and gauge their interest and perceived value.
- Determine their willingness to pay for a solution like mine.
The questions should follow the principles of The Mom Test, focusing on uncovering real problems and past behaviors rather than hypothetical scenarios. They should also be specific to the context of [insert niche market here] and relevant to professionals within this industry.