Reference table
Compliments vs commitments in customer interviews
How much each kind of customer response is worth
A table that ranks what customers say in interviews, from empty compliments and weak signals up to commitments of time, reputation and money. Use it after each interview to decide whether you heard real demand or just politeness. It follows the Mom Test distinction between compliments and commitments. Koji's analysis can help flag the difference across many interviews.
Where this appears
What's in this reference table
| What they say | Type | How much it counts |
|---|---|---|
| "That's a great idea!" | Compliment | Worthless: social politeness |
| "Let me know when it launches." | Weak signal | Costs them nothing to say |
| "Can I be part of your beta test?" | Commitment (time) | Moderate: they offer real time |
| "Could you send me more info? I'd like to show my boss." | Commitment (reputation) | Strong: they stake their credibility |
| "We'd pay for that. Can we do a pilot?" | Commitment (money) | Very strong: money is the ultimate validation |
Use this image
Free to use in your docs, decks and posts under CC BY 4.0, as long as you credit Koji with a link to this page. To embed it, paste this into your page:
html
<a href="https://www.koji.so/visuals/mom-test-compliments-vs-commitments"><img src="https://www.koji.so/visuals/mom-test-compliments-vs-commitments/mom-test-compliments-vs-commitments.png" alt="Table ranking customer responses from compliment to commitment of time, reputation and money, with how much each signal counts as validation of an idea." width="1200" height="723" /></a>
<p>Source: <a href="https://www.koji.so/visuals/mom-test-compliments-vs-commitments">Compliments vs commitments in customer interviews</a>, Koji</p>
