Think MVP to MLP to Build Products Users Love

The concept of the minimum viable product (MVP) was first introduced in 2001 by Eric Ries in his book "The Lean Startup." An MVP is a product with just enough features to be usable by early customers, allowing for continuous learning and improvement from user feedback. This approach minimizes upfront investment and validates product ideas before committing significant resources to full-scale development.

In 2012, the MVP concept was expanded by introducing the minimum lovable product (MLP) idea. An MLP is an MVP refined to create a positive emotional connection with users, going beyond mere functionality to address user pain points and create a delightful user experience. This approach aims to enhance customer satisfaction and increase the likelihood of product adoption and recommendation.

The MVP and MLP concepts have gained significant traction in recent years as more and more companies recognize the importance of balancing functionality with user experience. By following these principles, companies can reduce the risk of failure, increase customer satisfaction, and achieve their business goals more effectively.

In short, you first develop the MVP to ensure the product meets the business objectives, and then MLP to ensure the product's adoption by the audience.

MVP (Minimum Viable Product)

• Goals: Validate product idea, gather user feedback, identify potential problems early on
• Focus: Functionality, core features
• User experience: Basic, may have some usability issues
• Timeline: Short, fast release to market

MLP (Minimum Lovable Product)

• Goals: Enhance user experience, make the product desirable, create an emotional connection
• Focus: User experience, usability, additional features that enhance user satisfaction
• User experience: Improved, addressing pain points and creating a positive emotional connection
• Timeline: Longer, iterative process of refining and improving the product

Utilizing MVP and MLP concepts and embedding them into the product life cycle can help the company build a product that provides the needed solutions and achieves business objectives. Once objectives are met, the user experience will ensure user adoption and satisfaction and make the product successful.

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