Your MVP is just an MP. Here's the missing V. 🎯
The MVP Myth: Most "MVPs" are just feature-light versions of the full vision. They're not testing viability—they're testing if people will use a broken product.
Real MVP Components:
✅ Minimum: Smallest possible thing ✅ Viable: Actually solves a real problem ❌ Product: Often not even needed
Examples of Fake MVPs: • Social media app with "basic" features • E-commerce platform with "simple" checkout • Project management tool with "core" functionality
Examples of Real MVPs: • Dropbox: A video demo (no product!) • Zapier: Manually connected APIs behind the scenes • Buffer: A landing page with fake "schedule tweet" buttons
The Validation Hierarchy:
1. Problem Validation "Do people actually have this problem?" • Customer interviews • Landing page tests • Smoke tests
2. Solution Validation "Will our approach solve their problem?" • Prototypes • Wizard of Oz tests • Concierge MVPs
3. Product Validation "Will they pay for this solution?" • Pre-orders • Beta programs • Usage metrics
Common MVP Mistakes:
🚫 Building Too Much "We need user auth, payments, and analytics for our MVP"
✅ Better: Test core value prop with manual processes
🚫 Perfectionist Syndrome "We can't launch until it handles edge cases"
✅ Better: Launch with known limitations and manual fallbacks
🚫 Feature Creep "Just one more feature to make it viable"
✅ Better: Remove features until it barely works
The Real Questions: • What's the riskiest assumption? • What's the fastest way to test it? • Can we validate this without building anything? • What would customers pay for TODAY?
MVP Success Metrics: • Customer interviews completed • Email signups • Pre-orders or commitments • Retention rate (not just downloads) • Customer willingness to recommend
Remember: The goal isn't to build a product. It's to learn whether you should build a product.
Most successful products started as something completely different.
What's your biggest MVP learning? 📚