What is an MVP?

MVP means Minimum Viable Product and it's a core component of Lean Startup methodology [1]. An MVP is not a minimal product [2]. The technique involves the development of a product or website with the sufficient features to satisfy early adopters.This subset of possible customers are thought to be more forgiving, more likely to give feedback, and able to grasp a product vision from an early prototype or marketing information [3].

The final, complete set of features is only designed and developed after considering feedback from the product's initial users [4].

An MVP has three key characteristics:

• It has enough value that people are willing to use it or buy it initially
• It demonstrates enough future benefit to retain early adopters
• It provides a feedback loop to guide future development

Purposes

• Be able to test a product hypothesis with minimal resources
• Accelerate learning
• Reduce wasted engineering hours
• Get the product to early customers as soon as possible

[1] The lean startup methodology. http://theleanstartup.com/principles

[2] Radoff, Jon, "Minimum Viable Product Rant", May 4, 2010, http://radoff.com/blog/2010/05/04/minimum-viable-product-rant/ (Local version)

[3] Wikipedia, Minimum viable product. 2014. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Minimum_viable_product

[4] Cory Janssen. (2010-2014). Techopedia. Minimum Viable Product (MVP). http://www.techopedia.com/definition/27809/minimum-viable-product-mvp

Acknowledgments

This post, originally on http://www.vairix.com/blog/what-is-an-mvp was written for Vairix Software Development, so I want say thanks to them for let me share this with you in my website.

Significant Revisions

May 20, 2014: Original publication on vairix.com

Dec 9, 2014: Original publication on dariomac.com