How not to Build an MVP

The above pic is a widely accepted way of explaining about an MVP. But this is a totally wrong approach to MVP.

The Problem with Oversimplified Analogies

• Mismatched Value Proposition: Skateboards and cars offer vastly different solutions to the problem of transportation. Feedback on a skateboard won't necessarily translate into valuable insights for an electric car. Customers want to understand how a car feels to drive, its handling, acceleration, not just the concept of basic transportation.
• Ignores the "Minimum" Aspect: MVPs are about the smallest iteration of your core idea, not a completely different product in the same general theme. While both involve light, a candle can't illuminate (pun intended) user needs for a smart, connected IoT bulb i.e. a candle cannot convey concepts of smart control, color adjustment, or integration that a true IoT bulb needs.

What is an MVP? A?minimum viable product?(MVP) is a version of a product with just enough features to be usable by early customers who can then provide feedback for future?product development.

MVP is not an evolution of a technology. The objective of the MVP is to get “valuable feedback” (not just feedback) from the customers as early as possible and as cheaply as possible.

So my question is, can you build a skateboard to take feedback for building a EV Car? Or can you build a candle to take feedback for building a IoT Bulb?

As Henry Ford put it, “If I had asked my customers what they wanted they would have said a faster horse.” So to build a car, Ford would have never used a horse as an MVP to get feedback from the customer.

So keep this in mind, you have to build a just enough features of the exact product you want to build, to get “valuable feedback” (not just feedback) from the customers. That’s MVP.

And I’m pretty much sure that Ather Energy didn’t start with a skateboard.?

How to Think About a Good MVP

• The Vertical Slice: Instead of building horizontally (skateboard -> car), build a narrow vertical slice of the final product. In the car example, this is the rough prototype demonstrating core functionality, not just an unrelated mode of transport.
• The Wizard of Oz MVP: Sometimes, you can fake advanced features to get essential feedback. Imagine an IoT bulb demonstration where the color changing functions are manually controlled behind the scenes. This lets you understand user preferences around lighting without needing to fully develop the tech.

Key Takeaways

• An MVP is a slice of your final vision, not a stepping stone from a wholly different category.
• Focus on the core problem you aim to solve and the target audience obsessed with that problem.
• Tailor your MVP to extract the most specific and valuable feedback about your intended solution.

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