MVP to MLP: The Evolutionary Path of Successful Products

The Minimum Viable Product (MVP) and the Minimum Lovable Product (MLP) are two pivotal strategies in product development. MVP, widely adopted by startups and product teams, is a product with just enough features for early customer use, enabling feedback collection for product refinement. On the other hand, MLP encompasses the minimum feature set that elicits positive customer feedback, marking the difference between a usable product and a likable one.

MVP originates from the Lean Startup methodology, promoted by Eric Ries. It is the most stripped-down version of a product that is designed to test product hypotheses with minimal effort and cost. This lean approach helps avoid creating unwanted products, collecting validated customer insights to iterate and enhance the product. It’s a strategy that values learning and adaptation over perfection based on assumptions. Even though MVP promotes minimalism, it doesn’t advocate for incomplete or subpar products. Instead, it emphasizes core functionalities that solve user problems or provide substantial value.

MLP accentuates the need to create a lovable product for adoption and growth. While MVP centers around functionality and problem-solving, MLP endeavors to establish an emotional connection with users. In the digital product landscape, functionality alone doesn’t suffice. MLPs stand out through the user experience they offer, focusing on design, user interface, intuitive navigation, personalization, performance, and other factors that enhance user engagement. However, its important to note that ‘Lovable’ doesn’t mean cramming in every feature from the start, but being smart about identifying the minimum set of features that would make the product desirable to customers and executing it exceptionally well to drive adoption.

While MVP is a common starting point, transitioning to MLP is crucial to facilitate customer adoption and growth. This evolution is how successful products grow and adapt, and often proves critical in today’s fiercely competitive markets. Here is how some great products started as MVPs and evolved to MLPs.

Dropbox

Dropbox’s journey of development is an inspiring example of strategic product evolution. It began in 2007 when founders Drew Houston and Arash Ferdowsi envisioned a solution for easier file sharing and storage. Instead of introducing a fully featured product, they started with a three-minute video as their Minimum Viable Product (MVP). This video, illustrating the proposed functionality of Dropbox, generated a massive waitlist of 75,000 interested users overnight. The MVP was successful in validating the market demand for such a service, and it did so without significant initial resource expenditure.

Armed with the market validation from their MVP, the Dropbox team proceeded to evolve their product into a Minimum Lovable Product (MLP). The shift from viable to lovable hinged on the user experience. While the core functionality of file storage and synchronization remained, it was the introduction of features like quick syncing speeds, instant file access, and an intuitive, easy-to-install interface that enhanced user engagement and satisfaction. These features transformed Dropbox from a simple tool for saving files into an enjoyable part of users’ workflows.

Dropbox didn’t stop at becoming lovable. It expanded into a full suite of productivity tools. Innovations such as Dropbox Paper, a collaborative workspace, enhanced shared folder features, and integration with popular tools like Slack, Zoom, and Google Workspace made Dropbox not just a file storage system, but a comprehensive solution for a range of user needs.

In conclusion, Dropbox’s evolution from a basic MVP to a lovable MLP and finally a comprehensive suite of tools underscores the power of strategic product development. Dropbox’s journey is a reminder that starting small, validating the idea, focusing on creating a lovable user experience, and then expanding features can lead to immense success.

Airbnb

In 2008, when the industrial design conference was taking place in San Francisco, Brian Chesky and Joe Gebbia, two graduates from the Rhode Island School of Design, saw an opportunity. They realized that hotels were fully booked, and attendees needed alternative accommodations. They decided to rent out their loft, offering their guests air mattresses and homemade breakfast, which they advertised through a simple website named “AirBed & Breakfast”. This was their MVP and the quick responses validated that people were interested in more personal and affordable alternatives to hotels.

Airbnb’s initial version was good enough to attract their first customers, but it needed to become more attractive to be able to retain and grow their customer base. Their transition from an MVP to an MLP involved a significant investment in the user experience, especially the quality of photos of listings. They initiated a free photography program where they sent professional photographers to take pictures of the listings, making the listings more appealing and trustworthy. They also improved their search functionality and booking process to make the service more user-friendly and efficient. Furthermore, they introduced a secure payment system that protected both hosts and guests, contributing to a sense of trust and reliability.

Over time, Airbnb expanded beyond just accommodation. They introduced Airbnb Experiences, offering travelers unique activities hosted by locals, and ‘Airbnb for Work,’ providing spaces for meetings, team-building, and relocating employees. Today, Airbnb is much more than just a platform for booking lodgings – it’s a comprehensive travel service provider that also focuses on experiences and work solutions.

Instagram

Initially, Instagram was not Instagram but Burbn, a check-in app that was similar to Foursquare but with elements from gaming and photo sharing. Kevin Systrom and Mike Krieger, the founders, launched this as their MVP. However, Burbn had many features which led to confusion among the users. After receiving feedback, Systrom and Krieger noticed that the photo-sharing aspect of Burbn was what users were most engaged with.

Recognizing this, they decided to pivot, stripping down Burbn to its most popular feature – photo sharing. They renamed it Instagram, a portmanteau of “instant camera” and “telegram”. Instagram as an MLP focused on making photo sharing not just simple, but also enjoyable and engaging. It introduced unique filters allowing users to transform the aesthetics of their photos instantly and a square photo format inspired by Polaroid images. These features made Instagram a lovable platform for users who wanted to share their life through photos.

Over the years, Instagram introduced new features like Stories, a feature allowing users to share photos and videos that disappear after 24 hours, and IGTV for sharing longer videos. It also introduced Instagram Shopping that allows businesses to sell products directly through the app. With these additions, Instagram has evolved into a platform that goes beyond photo-sharing, serving as a significant tool for personal use, content creation, and business promotion.

Uber

Uber’s journey offers a notable example of product progression from a Minimum Viable Product (MVP) to a Minimum Lovable Product (MLP), and finally, to a full suite of services.

Uber began in 2008 when co-founders Travis Kalanick and Garrett Camp found themselves unable to hail a cab on a snowy night in Paris. They visualized an app to call a luxury car easily. The initial manifestation of this idea was ‘UberCab,’ a luxury car service exclusively for San Francisco launched in 2009. The app connected iPhone users with drivers of vehicles for hire – a simple yet effective MVP that validated the market demand.

With this validation, Uber shifted its focus from just being usable to being lovable. The company introduced features like fare splitting, real-time tracking, and seamless payment systems to enhance the user experience. They expanded their service to include various price points and vehicle types with ‘UberX,’ transforming the MVP into an MLP that users appreciated for its convenience and reliability.

But Uber didn’t stop with the MLP. The company continued to broaden its service offerings in response to diverse user needs. It launched food delivery with ‘Uber Eats,’ package delivery with ‘Uber Rush,’ and even short helicopter rides with ‘Uber Copter.’

Overall, Uber’s evolution from an MVP to an extensive suite of services demonstrates how starting small, focusing on user satisfaction, and then expanding services can contribute to a product’s success and continuous innovation.

-------

This article first appeared in Product Bar Raisers

#product #productmanagement #mvp #mlp #productstrategy #startups #growth