mvps in practice

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FORM & FUNCTION

FORM FOLLOWS FUNCTIONAn objects shape should be based on and exhibit it's primary purpose.

Good design is as little design as possible”Dieter Rams

“

PERFORMANCE VERSUS PREFERENCEThe designs that help people perform optimally are often not the same as the designs they find most desirable.

PERFORMANCE VERSUS PREFERENCE

PERFORMANCE VERSUS PREFERENCE

Dvorak

HIERARCHY OF NEEDSBased on Maslow's

Hierarchy of Needs

FUNCTIONALITY

RELIABILITY

USABILITY

PROFICIENCY

CREATIVITY

THE ANATOMY OF A GOOD MVP

WHAT IS AN MVP, REALLY?

An MVP is the smallest thing you can build that tests your business.

WHAT IS AN MVP, REALLY?

An MVP is the smallest thing you can build that tests your business.

NO!

WHAT IS AN MVP, REALLY?

An MVP is an experiment that tests a critical, falsifiable hypothesis of your business.

DESIGNING A GOOD EXPERIMENT

MVP

customers learnin’

SO, WHAT IS AN MVP?

MVPs are just a tool to conduct fast, measurable customer learning.

THREE OF MVPs

TYPES

THREE METHODS OF LEARNING

Exploration

Pitch

THREE METHODS OF LEARNING

Concierge

THREE METHODS OF LEARNING

AN MVP IS CUSTOMER VALIDATED LEARNING

The MVP is just the vehicle. Decide what you need to test and choose your weapon.

EXPLORATION1

“OK...

“OK... I WANT TO CREATE AN ONLINE MARKET PLACE

“OK... I WANT TO CREATE AN ONLINE MARKET PLACE FOR FINE MARBLE SCULPTURES”

LET’S DESIGN A TEST!

LET’S DESIGN A TEST!

LET’S DESIGN A TEST!

EXPLORE IS GREAT WHEN• You have an early idea • You don’t know what budget you belong to • You don’t know how to segment your

customers • You don’t know how consistent your problem is

PITCH2

A PITCH MVP IS BASICALLY A LANDING PAGE

A PITCH MVP IS “BASICALLY” A LANDING PAGE

WHAT ARE MOST LANDING PAGES TESTING?

Usually, just if your copy describes a pain or problem that potential customers have

If people have that problem? If people will pay for it? If a segment identifies with that problem?

WHAT DO YOU ACTUALLY WANT TO TEST?

“AND WHAT IF MY PRODUCT ISN’T AN

APP?”

PITCH IS GREAT WHEN...• You have an idea when / how people will buy

from you • You have an idea where customers would look

for you • You have an action you want to measure for

CONCIERGE3

BOB

EMAIL

CONCIERGE IS GREAT WHEN...

• Confident on your customer segment • Building a full solution is a large, uncertain

investment • You have an idea for a solution, but you’re not

sure how to execute it

PROTOTYPE4

A PROTOTYPE MVP IS THE “FUCK IT, LET’S TRY IT” OF MVPS

Perfect for when your company is creating novel value.

PROTOTYPE IS GREAT WHEN...

• You have a novel solution that needs testing • The other three methods of learning can’t

execute the experiment

A WARNING LABEL

A prototype MVP is still a throwaway experimentation tool. Not your first version!

THE WRAP UP• MVPs are about designing falsifiable

experiments, not making first versions • Choose the tool that best tests your hypothesis • More often then not, that tool isn’t a landing

page • Keep them quick, sloppy, and disposable.