IMPLEMENT PHASE

Minimum viable product (MVP)

An MVP is the first iteration of a product that you deploy to the market. This should be the simplest product that still solves customer and organizational needs.

How to use this method

While there’s no exact template for how to create an MVP — you may just define it on your roadmap — these steps can guide you through what to consider:

1. Product strategy

Your product or service strategy should enable you to meet the tangible outcomes — measurable changes in behavior that serve your project vision — while considering what’s the bare minimum you can “bring to market” to test your assumptions and gather feedback with real users.

2. Prioritization

Focus on what’s minimally viable by prioritizing features. Don’t aim for perfection in design and performance since that will hinder your ability to move quickly. The core functionality and user experience matters, but you can and will continue to iterate on the product or service as you learn more from users. Put your prioritized features into a roadmap.

3. Align the team

Leverage the roadmap to ensure that each team member is contributing to meet the vision and milestones you’ve defined.

4. Feedback

Once you’ve released the MVP, gather feedback from users. Use the feedback to make decisions about how to iterate on and improve your service or product.