Customer Discovery
Steve Blank's customer discovery run with The Mom Test interviewing discipline: Problem interviews (fan) -> Problem validation (waist) -> Solution interviews (fan) -> Pursue / pivot / drop (waist). Talk about the customer's real life and past behavior, never pitch the idea, and separate facts and commitments from compliments.
Early validation when you are not yet sure the problem is real or worth solving: interview honestly, find the problems that actually matter, then test whether a minimal solution earns genuine interest.
Stages
Problem Interviews
Run problem-focused interviews across segment-diverse personas. Ask about real, specific past behavior and the life around the problem — never pitch your idea (The Mom Test). Anti-steering is strongest here.
Problem Validation
Separate facts and commitments from compliments. Name the problems that are real, frequent and painful enough to be worth solving, and for whom.
Solution Interviews
Present minimal solution concepts and gauge GENUINE interest and commitment (time, money, reputation) rather than politeness. Make one concept tangible as a concept prototype.
Pursue / Pivot / Drop
Personas use the concept; weigh the evidence and converge to a clear decision — pursue, pivot, or drop — plus the next concrete commitment to seek.