How to start with MVP?
The iteration of implemented solutions is key to the Minimum Viable Product creation process. Thanks to research, product improvement and functionality testing is done on an ongoing basis. Sometimes even hour by hour. Thanks to this, the concept is comprehensively verified. Additionally, information is collected that in subsequent stages of development may constitute effective arguments in talks and negotiations with investors. This way of working requires close cooperation of the team and efficient exchange of knowledge.
Minimum Viable Product development is favored by working in agile sprints. All team members are involved in the design, testing and implementation process. Thanks to this, they learn from each other, gain a sense of agency and a more complete understanding of the product. At the same time, it's easier to convince the team to participate in experiments and so-called studies - low-budget, quick tests with users.
It is also worth mention, research that shows the Agile methodology has a success rate of implemented products at the level of 55%, compared with only 29% for the still popular Waterfall methodology.
Why this is so important
The first step of building your MVP is a process called Design Sprint.
Design Sprint is a five-day workshop dedicated to improving the process of rapid validation of design hypotheses. The main goal of the workshop is to optimize the decision-making process, without having to build the entire solution or product.
With real and specific data, you are able to improve your product. In addition - your customers feel like its co-creators. They will support you, help to promote it, and this can also be very important. It’s good to start from your MVP software and ask yourself - how do you want to show something to your customers? Familiarize yourself with the three most popular MVP models that work and have been used by major entrepreneurs.
The "Piecemeal" MVP
It's a prototype that you create based on ready-made tools and technologies that will speed up the entire process - after all, you don't want to create certain things from scratch. Let's not waste time where we can apply simplifications and known technologies and show your idea to the world even faster.
Digital Prototypes
Instead of creating mockup projects with a high level of detail, we just need a functional but fully reflecting the spirit of your design prototype. Here comes the help of UX design, a simple but effective front-end development - it is easier for the user to catch any errors when using a transparent and nice solution.
The single-feature
It often happens that one functionality of your solution is good enough and solves a wide spectrum of problems that it is only worth showing it to the world. Then such a Minimum Viable Product is fully transparent and shows the solution to the customer.
Market and competition overview
It often happens that your solution is very good and there is probably something similar on the market. But there may be a situation in which, despite your uniqueness, there is no demand on the market for such a solution, or you have come to the wrong market timing. Often, we can stop our project for only a few months and we won't break into our niche, which is why we cannot skip this point.
What do you want to show to the world?
You already know the types of MVP, you know that you need in-depth market analysis. What's next? The next step is to think about what exactly you want to announce to the whole world. Which feature of your solution is the most important? This is no longer an analysis of the competition, but an in-depth interview with yourself.
Does the solution it presents have one strong enough side that is by far the biggest and the best? What will anyone get from it that will buy a solution from you? How will you help him? How will you relieve him?
What will your MVP development look like?
Personalizing the design is very important. Maybe your solution does not have to be based on modern design trends but simply on a simple and functional dashboard? However, it will be important to present solutions that are fully responsive, pleasing to the eye and, above all, must meet their basic functionalities! Minimum viable product plus UX / UI design is a cake with icing on the cake.
Build your MVP
This is the moment when, after determining the needs and specifications, it is time to create a real solution that you will present to your clients. MVP must be delivered quickly and efficiently. Time is key here. We must remember to provide user traffic that will help us verify our hypotheses. At the stage of creating MVP, fast traffic sources such as paid Internet marketing work best, thanks to which we can show our product to several thousand people and examine their reaction in a few days.
The first step is always the most important, and thanks to building a minimally satisfying product, you can take this step very quickly without any financial means - all you need is some desire and some creativity.
Listen to every voice
This is the stage where you should exceptionally focus on analysis, seeking opinions, refining the idea and an in-depth and multifaceted survey. In summary, the MVP software tactic allows you to obtain in a short time and with relatively small financial outlays the question whether it is worth launching a new product or service on the market. It is very simple and at the same time an effective way to save funds on expensive investments that would not be in demand.
