English
5min
Module 1: The Lean Startup Mindset
Module 2: Defining Your Vision
Module 3: The Build-Measure-Learn Feedback Loop
Module 4: The Minimum Viable Product (MVP)
5min
Module 5: Validating with Customers
Module 6: Pivoting or Persevering
11/23 Lessons
Content
4.1: What is an MVP?
We have covered the term MVP in the previous lesson, but now we're going to dive into its true meaning. The most common mistake entrepreneurs make is thinking of an MVP as a product with a few features taken away. This is wrong and often leads to a confusing, non-functional experience for the user. A true MVP is a complete, albeit simple, experience designed to solve a core problem for a specific user.
1. The Analogy of Building a Car
The best way to understand an MVP is through an analogy.
The Wrong Way (Not an MVP):
Imagine you want to build a car. The wrong way to do an MVP would be to first build one wheel, then a chassis, then an engine. At each stage, the user has a useless, incomplete product. They can't learn, and you can't get any validated learning. [Image showing an incomplete car: first just a wheel, then just a chassis, then chassis and engine but no wheels]
The Right Way (The True MVP):
The correct MVP approach would be to first build a simple, functional product that solves the core problem of transportation. You could start with a skateboard. It's not a car, but it gets the user from point A to point B. From there, you could build a scooter (more stability), then a bicycle (more speed), then a motorcycle, and finally, a car. At every single stage, the user has a complete, functional product that provides a valuable experience, and you get continuous validated learning. [Image showing a skateboard, then a scooter, then a bike, etc.]
*This analogy is key: an MVP must be a full user experience, not a partial one.
2. Key Principles of a Great MVP
Targeted: It must solve a single, core problem for a very specific group of users.
Functional: It must work and provide a complete experience, even if it's a simple one.
Fast: The MVP should be built as quickly as possible to get it into the hands of customers for feedback.
Measurable: Its primary purpose is to allow you to measure a specific, actionable metric to test your Leap-of-Faith Assumption.