The term MVP was first introduced by Frank Robinson in 2001 to describe the earliest version of a new product with just enough features to be deployed and tested with customers. Since then, MVPs have become a cornerstone of the Lean Startup methodology and helped countless entrepreneurs validate ideas, learn quickly from real user feedback, and intelligently allocate resources. While the core concept is simple - build the smallest possible product to test assumptions - successfully mastering MVP development is an art that requires thoughtful planning, execution, and learning along the way.
In this post, I want to share my experiences and learnings from building many MVPs over the years in the hopes that it helps any founder, product manager, or team looking to apply the MVP approach to their own product development process. We will cover topics like properly defining an MVP, planning and scoping it out, building it efficiently, testing and iterating, scaling up, and more. By the end, you should have a solid understanding of how to develop high-quality MVPs that maximise learning and inform your next steps. Let's get started!
Defining Your MVP
The first major step in any MVP development process is properly defining exactly what your minimum viable product will be. This helps constrain scope to only essential functionality while still remaining testable. Here are a few tips for defining an effective MVP:
Focus on a specific problem or user need: Your MVP should target solving a clearly defined problem or satisfying a specific user need. Don't try to do too much at once. Identify a core job your product will help customers accomplish.Your MVP should target solving a clearly defined problem or satisfying a specific user need. Don't try to do too much at once. Identify a core job your product will help customers accomplish. Include only core features: As the name implies, keep non-essential "nice to have" features out of your MVP. Only focus on including core functionality required for a basic, yet complete user experience. You can always add more features later based on learnings.As the name implies, keep non-essential "nice to have" features out of your MVP. Only focus on including core functionality required for a basic, yet complete user experience. You can always add more features later based on learnings. Prioritise validation over polish: At this early stage, you want to gather feedback and validate assumptions as quickly as possible. Don't bother polishing a sleek interface until you've confirmed the value prop. Focus on validating with customers through usage.At this early stage, you want to gather feedback and validate assumptions as quickly as possible. Don't bother polishing a sleek interface until you've confirmed the value prop. Focus on validating with customers through usage. Make deployment and testing possible: Your MVP should be scoped in a way that allows you to easily deploy, share, and collect user feedback on it. Don't bite off more than you can chew development wise for the first iteration.Your MVP should be scoped in a way that allows you to easily deploy, share, and collect user feedback on it. Don't bite off more than you can chew development wise for the first iteration. Document key assumptions: As you define your MVP, be sure to document any critical assumptions being tested. For example, "We assume customers will pay $X per month for basic access." This gives you clear metrics to measure validation against.Taking the time upfront to properly define what problem you want to solve and constrain the scope of the MVP will set you up for success in the development and testing phases. Make sure it meets the criteria of focusing initial efforts while allowing for quick feedback.
Planning Your MVP Development
After defining what your MVP entails, the next step is planning out how you will actually build it. With any software project, having a clear development plan is crucial for efficient execution. Some best practices when planning your MVP development include:
Break into small iterative cycles: Rather than planning one massive build, structure MVP development into multiple 1-2 week iterative cycles. This allows continuous improvement and faster feedback loops.Rather than planning one massive build, structure MVP development into multiple 1-2 week iterative cycles. This allows continuous improvement and faster feedback loops. Estimate requirements: For each development cycle, break down work into specific user stories, features, or tasks. Estimate development time needed to complete sets of work.For each development cycle, break down work into specific user stories, features, or tasks. Estimate development time needed to complete sets of work. Prioritise based on validation goals: When planning iterations, prioritise the features most critical for learning and validating key assumptions first. Leave nice-to-haves for later.When planning iterations, prioritise the features most critical for learning and validating key assumptions first. Leave nice-to-haves for later. Mock or simulate data as needed: For cycles where real data isn't available, mock or simulate placeholder data to allow full end-to-end testing of core functionality.For cycles where real data isn't available, mock or simulate placeholder data to allow full end-to-end testing of core functionality. Decide on deployment cadence: Determine how frequently you want to deploy new iterations based on development cycles. Weekly, bi-weekly, or monthly releases are common.Determine how frequently you want to deploy new iterations based on development cycles. Weekly, bi-weekly, or monthly releases are common. Incorporate feedback after each cycle: Leave time to incorporate feedback and tweak priorities after validating each iteration with users before starting the next cycle.By incorporating iterative cycles, requirements planning, prioritisation, and continuous feedback, you set your MVP development effort up for efficient progress toward learning goals. Staying agile and adapting the plan as you learn is also important for success.
Building Your MVP Efficiently
When it comes to actually building out the MVP, there are several best practices that can help ensure you complete it quickly and cost-effectively:
Focus on the core functions: Similar to scoping, focus coding efforts entirely on core features that solve the main problem and test key assumptions during the build.Similar to scoping, focus coding efforts entirely on core features that solve the main problem and test key assumptions during the build. Use appropriate technology: Choose technology that allows fast development cycles without being overly complex. Low-code tools are often ideal for the first version over custom coding.Choose technology that allows fast development cycles without being overly complex. Low-code tools are often ideal for the first version over custom coding. Prioritise speed over perfection: Get a working version out the door fast using simplifying assumptions rather than polishing every detail. Validate, then iterate.Get a working version out the door fast using simplifying assumptions rather than polishing every detail. Validate, then iterate. Build iteratively: Focus coding efforts each sprint on small, releasable increments aligned with validation goals rather than "waterfalling" a big bang launch.Focus coding efforts each sprint on small, releasable increments aligned with validation goals rather than "waterfalling" a big bang launch. Use placeholder or simulated data: Mock or fake data as needed for aspects relying on real data still being produced. Don't let perfect data slow progress.Mock or fake data as needed for aspects relying on real data still being produced. Don't let perfect data slow progress. Automate tests from the start: Add automated tests continuously to prevent regressions and speed future iterations. Don't wait for "production" to start testing.Add automated tests continuously to prevent regressions and speed future iterations. Don't wait for "production" to start testing. Keep logging and analytics: Instrument the MVP to capture all needed usage metrics, debug logs, and performance data for analysis.Instrument the MVP to capture all needed usage metrics, debug logs, and performance data for analysis. Deploy frequently and early: Set up continuous integration/deployment pipelines to rapidly release iterations according to plan for real-world testing.Pairing lean coding practices focused on speed and experimentation with frequent deployments and metrics collection allows you to quickly and efficiently build a minimum viable product. Staying focused on the defined goal of validating assumptions is key.
Testing Your MVP Effectively
Once your initial MVP is built, it is critical to immediately start getting it in front of real customers and gathering feedback. Here are some recommended best practices for effective MVP testing:
Get initial customers hands-on ASAP: Deploy the first version internally if needed, but prioritise getting it to target users within days or weeks for hands-on testing and feedback.Deploy the first version internally if needed, but prioritise getting it to target users within days or weeks for hands-on testing and feedback. Focus on qualitative insights: In the early phases, focus user research on open-ended feedback through interviews versus quantitative surveys. Quality over quantity.In the early phases, focus user research on open-ended feedback through interviews versus quantitative surveys. Quality over quantity. Conduct usability testing: Observe users interact with the MVP in a test environment and have them "think out loud" to uncover any usability issues or confusion.
FAQs
✔️How do I find initial customers to test my MVP?
Some effective ways to find initial customers for MVP testing include leveraging your personal network, posting in relevant online communities, offering early adopter discounts, conducting targeted social media advertising, partnering with online marketplaces, or directly contacting potential customers. The key is to cast a wide enough net to get feedback from real users as quickly as possible.
✔️How much should I charge for early access to my MVP?
For initial MVP testing, either offer it for free or set a very low early adopter price point (e.g. $1/month) that doesn't require much commitment. You want to remove barriers to getting feedback, not focus on revenue at this stage. Some also experiment with freemium tiers. The goal is learning, not immediate profits.
✔️How will I get users to actually give me feedback?
To incentivize useful feedback, be clear upfront about the product still being in development and your need for input. Offer perks like discounts, early access to new features, or personal response from the team. Make it quick and easy to provide feedback via comment forms, interviews, surveys etc. And follow up to show how input was valued and shaped improvements.
✔️What types of metrics should I track from my MVP testing?
Key metrics to track include usage stats (time spent, features used), qualitative feedback themes, conversion rates through the onboarding flow, retention over time, tasks customers complete, pain points observed, and benchmarks for assumptions like willingness to pay. Logging everything technically feasible will yield the most opportunities for learning.
✔️How many iterations should I plan to go through?
There is no set number, but most successful startups spend 3-6 months and go through at least 3 MVP iterations before considering a product/market fit validated. Each cycle incorporates new learning to shrink uncertainties faster. Stay agile and continue iterating based solely on gathered feedback and insights.
✔️When is it time to invest more in development?
Only once you strongly feel you have product/market fit after several validated iterations should you consider investing more heavily in development, UI/UX polish, feature expansion, marketing etc. Getting to that point may take 6-12 months of dedicated MVP testing and feedback incorporation at low cost. Invest only based on validated results.
Conclusion
In summary, properly focused MVP development grounded in real user testing and feedback is one of the most powerful methods for de-risking ideas and making smarter product decisions from the outset. While the concept is simple, mastering best practices around scoping, planning, building, validating and iterating on MVPs takes time and experience to perfect. By keeping the learning goal central and staying dedicated to lean, efficient processes, any team can leverage the power of MVPs to build products customers love.
