Book · ~80 pages

Pretotype It

Alberto Savoia · pretotyping.org Free Intermediate

Savoia's pretotyping approach forces you to define, before you show anyone anything, exactly what a real reaction would look like versus a polite one. His XYZ hypothesis format ("at least X% of Y will Z") gives you a measurable line in the sand so you're not relying on your own read of a fuzzy conversation. It's the clearest antidote to a founder convincing themselves a shrug was enthusiasm.

  • Decide what counts as a real signal before you run the test, not after.
  • Watch for what people do (the Z), not what they say they'd do.
  • A cheap pretotype that answers the real question beats a polished one that doesn't.

The question it answers

  1. How do I show a prototype to users without biasing their reaction?

Read with it

  1. The single best thing ever written on customer conversations. It teaches you to ask about the customer's life and past... momtestbook.com Book · ~130 pages The Mom Test Rob Fitzpatrick
  2. A YC partner turns 'talk to users' into a repeatable 5-question interview script you can use this afternoon. It's The Mom Test... YC Startup Library Video · ~25 min How to Talk to Users Eric Migicovsky (YC / founder of Pebble)
  3. A short, practical field guide to customer discovery: who to talk to, how to find them, and how many. Pairs perfectly with The... talkingtohumans.com Book · ~80 pages (free PDF available) Talking to Humans Giff Constable
  4. The most accessible, practical intro to usability ever written, you can read it in a weekend and immediately fix your product.... sensible.com Book · ~200 pages Don't Make Me Think, Revisited Steve Krug
  5. Video · ~20 min How To Talk To Users | Startup School Gustaf Alstromer
  6. This is the cleanest, most concrete catalogue of the exact question shapes that quietly steer a person to the answer you... Nielsen Norman Group Article · about 7 min read Avoid Leading Questions to Get Better Insights from Participants Amy Schade
eChai Partner Brands The partnership →