Mom Test Interview Scorecard: Score Each Call 1-10
Template companion to Lesson 2.1 - The Mom Test: Ask About the Past, Not the Future · From Idea to First Paying Customer
Use after each call - score within 5 minutes of hanging up, before your memory rounds up.
A call you do not score is a call you cannot count. This one-page scorecard replaces “I think that one went well” with a 1-10 number backed by pass/fail checks and emotional-flag counts. Fill one card per call, then transfer the 10 scores to the Synthesis page for the build / pivot / kill decision.
Per-call scorecard (one per interview)
Interview #: ___ of 10 · Date: _________ · Interviewee: ______________________________
Hypothesis tested: [CUSTOMER] solves [PROBLEM] - paste from Lesson 1.1
1. Five-question pass/fail check
Score each question pass or fail. Pass = specific story with date, tool, or number. Fail = vague generality or polite default.
| # | Pass signal | Fail signal |
|---|---|---|
| Q1 | Specific story - date, time, tool, person, feeling | Vague generality - “I usually struggle with it” |
| Q2 | Specific number with a unit - “2 hours every Tuesday” | Unquantified - “It costs us time” |
| Q3 | Named tool, hired person, custom workaround | “Nothing yet - I’ve been meaning to” |
| Q4 | 7+ with a comparison to another priority | 5-6 with no comparison, or polite-default 7 |
| Q5 | Names a specific person and their workaround | “I’m the only one who deals with this” |
Pass count (Q1-Q5): ___ / 5
2. Three emotional-flag count
Listen for these in the answers. Tally each time one surfaces.
| Flag | Example phrases |
|---|---|
| Frustration | “I hate this.” “It drives me crazy.” “Every single week.” |
| Workaround | “I’ve been meaning to…” “We hacked together…” “I pay [TOOL] $X for this.” |
| Urgency | “Last week.” “This morning.” “I missed my kid’s birthday because of this.” |
Total flags: ___ (>=3 flags = strong signal. 0-1 = polite. 2 = ambiguous - treat as 5/10 default.)
3. Score calculation
Base score: Q4 raw number: ___ (1-10)
Adjustments:
- Q4 backed by comparison? Yes = +1 / No = -1
- Pass count: 5/5 = +1, 4/5 = 0, 3/5 = -1, 2/5 = -2
- Flags: >=3 = +1, 2 = 0, 0-1 = -1
The cap (from Lesson 2.1): no comparison behind Q4, or fewer than 3 flags? Anything above 5 rounds down to 5 - that is the polite-default score, not real urgency.
Final score: ___ / 10
Scoring reference:
- 8-10: Strong signal - real story, quantified cost, genuine urgency, 4+ passes, 3+ flags
- 5-7: Mixed - real story but weak workaround, or high flags but low Q4
- 1-4: Weak - vague answers, polite mode, “nothing yet” on past attempts
4. Notes (write in under 2 minutes)
One verbatim quote (strongest signal from the call):
The one thing you would do differently next call:
Transfer this score to the Synthesis page once all 10 calls are scored.
Master tracking sheet (all 10 interviews)
Raw scores: List your 10 scores from the per-call cards:
___ , ___ , ___ , ___ , ___ , ___ , ___ , ___ , ___ , ___
Strong signals (7+): ___ / 10
Decision (from the Synthesis page):
- ☐ Build (7+ strong signals) - proceed to Lesson 2.6 prototype
- ☐ Pivot (4-6 strong signals) - run 5 sharper interviews
- ☐ Kill (fewer than 4) - return to Lesson 1.1
Done: one scored interview card (or 10, if doing the full pass). You have a 1-10 score backed by pass/fail checks and flag counts, not a gut feeling.
Next: run all 10 interviews using the Mom Test Interview Script, then transfer the scores to the Synthesis page.
If blocked: the score keeps landing in the 4-6 range and you cannot tell why. Re-read Lesson 2.1’s scoring rubric - a 7 needs a comparison behind it plus 3+ emotional flags, or it rounds to 5.
Built by JetThoughts as part of the From Idea to First Paying Customer free curriculum.