Go Minimal – MVP in Practice
Ever had that moment when a brilliant idea strikes, and you think, “This is it! This could be huge!” But then comes the hard part, figuring out where to start. That’s where the next point of innovation comes in: Start small and learn fast.
The magic lies in your MVP – Minimum Viable Product. This isn’t about creating the slickest, most feature-packed solution on day one. It’s about launching the simplest version of your idea that still solves the core problem. Why? Because the goal isn’t perfection; it’s learning.
Starting small with an MVP is about achieving clarity of purpose and maximising learning with minimal resources. This principle allows innovators to reduce risks, validate ideas, and create products that resonate deeply with their customers. Let’s dive deeper into practical strategies and ideas for developing an MVP.
A quick example
Take the story of Just Eat, the now-global food delivery platform. The founders didn’t start with a sophisticated app or fleet of delivery drivers. Instead, their MVP was a basic website allowing customers to browse local restaurant menus and place orders and restaurants handled deliveries themselves. This simple solution validated their idea, showing that people valued convenience in food ordering. Feedback from users and restaurants then informed the development of advanced features, leading to the platform we know today. You could argue that this is just an example of a company growing and expanding. I suggest it’s true innovation in practice, driven by the concept of MVP, whether they knew it at the time or not.
Building your MVP
Here’s 3 things to get you started with your own effective MVP:
- Identify the Core Problem: Define the smallest, most critical customer pain point you aim to solve. Remember point 1 from the last article “Solve the right problem and ask the right questions”.
- Prototype Your Solution: Use tools like wireframes, clickable mock-ups, or basic websites. In Just Eat’s case, this was a simple, functioning site.
- Test and Gather Feedback: Like Just Eat, use your MVP to validate the concept. Focus on learning what works and what doesn’t.
Iterate for success
Remember, the goal of your MVP isn’t perfection, it’s progress. Solve the core issue effectively, gather real-world feedback, and adapt. The insights gained from starting small can save time, reduce risks, and lay the foundation for a product that truly resonates.
Beyond the basics: Understanding the ‘Viable’ in MVP
An MVP isn’t just a bare-bones product or service; it’s a product with enough value to satisfy early adopters while providing insights for improvement. The emphasis on ‘viable’ ensures that the solution delivers its core function effectively, even if it’s not feature-rich.
Take Monzo, a UK Fintech. Monzo, the digital bank, started with a prepaid debit card app that allowed users to track spending. This basic feature tackled a common pain point (the right problem), understanding where money goes. Early adopters tested the app, providing invaluable feedback that Monzo used to build its robust banking platform. The simplicity of this MVP set the stage for its rapid growth.
MVP tools and methods: Getting hands-on
- Landing Pages: A landing page showcasing your product idea can gauge interest and collect sign-ups. This is a lightweight way to measure demand before investing in development.
- Dropbox’s MVP included a simple video explaining its concept. The overwhelmingly positive response validated their idea without writing a single line of code.
- Check out Donald Miller and his StoryBrand book for great ideas on simple and effective landing pages.
- Concierge MVPs: Instead of automation, perform tasks manually to test your solution. This is particularly effective for service-based businesses.
- Hush tested personal styling services by having stylists manually select outfits based on customer preferences. This process provided insights into consumer tastes, helping refine their offering.
- Prototyping for Validation: Create quick prototypes using tools like Figma or Adobe XD, even 3D printing. Prototypes let potential customers interact with your idea, providing valuable feedback.
Evolving your MVP: Key considerations
- Feedback Loops: Engage early adopters actively. Encourage honest feedback and create mechanisms to track user interactions.
- Just Eat founders relied on constant feedback from both restaurants and customers to refine their platform. They adjusted features like menu displays and ordering systems to improve user experience
- Keep Costs Low: By minimising upfront investment, you can afford multiple iterations. Prioritise scalability but start with the most accessible tools and resources.
- Balance Simplicity and Impact: Avoid the trap of under developing your MVP. Ensure that your solution solves the pain point (again, addressing the right problem) effectively while remaining focused.
Long-term vision: The role of an MVP
An MVP isn’t the end goal; it’s the starting point for a journey of innovation. Use it to establish trust with customers, build excitement, and lay the foundation for a more sophisticated product. Companies like Monzo, Just Eat, and Dropbox demonstrate that focusing on solving real problems in simple effective ways can lead to long-term success.
Here’s what happened for me
One of the most valuable lessons I learned as an entrepreneur was the power of starting small and iterating (exploring all solution and options) quickly. When I was first developing my Academy consulting service tailored to small businesses, I knew I needed something that could prove the concept without taking loads of time and draining resources. It wasn’t about building an elaborate infrastructure; it was about validating the need for the service and refining it based on real-world feedback.
The challenge: Identifying my MVP
My idea was to create a full-spectrum consultancy for small businesses, (The Academy for Scaling Businesses), covering everything from strategy to operations. But the scope was overwhelming, and tackling everything at once felt impossible. To apply the MVP principle, I decided to focus on one key pain point: operational inefficiency in service-based businesses.
Instead of launching a full-fledged platform or hiring a large team, I opted for a Concierge MVP. I started by offering hands-on consulting to a few select clients. I would personally visit businesses, observe their day-to-day operations, and provide tailored recommendations. There was no fancy website, no digital tools, just me, a notebook, and my experience.
The implementation: Testing with real customers
One of my first clients was a small cleaning company struggling to manage its workforce and scheduling. I spent two days shadowing their operations, asking questions, and brainstorming solutions alongside their team. By the end of the week, we implemented a simple paper-based tracking system and tested a streamlined process for assigning jobs.
It wasn’t groundbreaking technology, but it addressed their core problem. Their feedback was immediate: “This system saves us so much time!” From there, we iterated on the approach, incorporating digital tools and scaling the solution for larger teams.
Lessons learned: Feedback and evolution
This hands-on experience taught me the importance of engaging directly with customers during the MVP stage. By listening closely to their challenges, I refined my offering into something practical and impactful. Over time, I expanded the service into a more comprehensive consultancy with associates and licensees, but the lessons from those early days of ‘manual MVPs’ stayed with me. Indeed, now personal support, mentoring and coaching are now one of the larger parts of my business interests.
Manual MVPs also reinforced the importance of gathering diverse feedback. After my initial success, I engaged with ten other small businesses in different industries to test the applicability of my approach. Their insights allowed me to evolve the service and develop my team into something scalable and repeatable.
By starting small, focusing on solving a single pain point, and iterating based on feedback, we built something sustainable. I’ve never underestimated the power of an MVP since, and its power in making innovation a habit.
Look out for the next steps soon. – just look for the same article image.
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Remember, there are only three types of people – those who make things happen, those who wait for things to happen, and those who talk about why things don’t happen for them. Which one are you?
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