How to Get Better Feedback For Improvement Using 'The Mom Test'

Getting great feedback is critical for both personal and professional development. In many instances, "givers" of feedback are burdened by the desire to not be too critical, like our moms. This is a good thing in many cases, but the problem with "nice" feedback is that it doesn't necessarily lead to development in critical areas, professionally or personally.

What is The Mom Test?

The Mom Test consist of a set of techniques for interviewing or seeking feedback from a customer, a learner, a boss, a client or an end-user in a way that is concrete and objective.

What are some of these techniques?

1. Keep it factual and behavioural, not opinionated. For example, ask, "what did you do?", not "what do you think?". The first is action-oriented, the second appeals to subjective emotions that may impact on objectivity.
2. Don't just ask about a problem, a challenge or a particular task. Ask about their experience, in terms of a journey, otherwise called "a user story". In sharing their experience, you can make certain inferences that are contextually captured.
3. Listen more than you talk. Let the customer, learner, boss or client guide the conversation. This increases positive vulnerability and trust, and enforces knowledge sharing.
4. Watch out for "niceness" and redirect to the facts. In "watching out", acknowledge their goodwill and niceties, but redirect to the objective situation you need clarity, guidance and improvement on - personally or professionally.
5. Simulate their problematic points or critical highlights, not your solution or defense. In so doing, you're walking with their thought process, and infusing ideas that will lead to your own improvement.

Critical feedback is imperative and objectivity is not always masked in "niceness".

Let me know what you think (don't be nice :-)