MVP Isn’t a Shortcut
It's The Key to Discovering Your North Star
A few weeks ago, I ordered an item from an e-commerce platform, excited for its arrival. Soon after, I received an email from the logistics partner with a tracking link for my order. As soon as I confirmed the link was legitimate, I clicked on it to check the shipment's status. What I found on the tracking website left me perplexed, sparking the need to share my experience and why it’s essential to understand what an MVP (Minimum Viable Product) really means.
Welcome to Episode 8 of Product with JnrJose
The tracking page was confusing, filled with unclear terminologies and conflicting data. The "pickup arranged" and "shipment finalized" times were identical, leaving me questioning how it was possible to have these events occur simultaneously, also the page does not specify wether I should be expecting any other actions like item out for delivery, items delivered etc. This experience was a prime example of how poor execution of an MVP can frustrate users. The goal of an MVP is to provide a simplified yet functional product, but this tracking system only complicated things further. It became clear to me that the company misunderstood the essence of an MVP.
Let’s dig deeper into what an MVP truly is, what it should not be, and how great MVP leads to discovering your product’s North Star.
What is an MVP?
An MVP, or Minimum Viable Product, is the most basic version of a product that addresses a user’s key pain point. It’s not about delivering a full-featured solution but about offering a functional version that solves a specific problem while gathering feedback for future iterations. The focus of an MVP should always be on usability, simplicity, and learning from user interactions to improve and build a better, more robust product down the line.
My Frustration and the Misunderstood MVP
The example I shared earlier perfectly illustrates what happens when an MVP is not well thought out. The terminologies on the tracking page were unclear, and the data presented was absurd—pickup and finalization times that were exactly the same. This experience not only confused me but also led me to question whether the logistics company truly understood their users' needs
An MVP should not introduce more complexity. It’s meant to smoothen the user's journey, not hinder it. When a product adds to user frustration rather than solving their problems, it defeats the entire purpose of being “viable.”
Key Attributes of an MVP
For a product to be considered a true MVP, it must meet specific criteria:
Simplicity: The product should be easy to use and free from unnecessary complexity. It must focus on solving a specific pain point efficiently.
Focused Functionality: An MVP must target the most pressing need of its users. Trying to do too much at once will only dilute the effectiveness of the solution.
Clarity: Every feature, term, and interaction point should be intuitive. Users shouldn’t need a guide to understand what your MVP does.
Feedback Loops: An MVP serves as a learning tool. It should be built to gather feedback, allowing teams to see how users interact with the product and what improvements are necessary.
A Step Toward the North Star: An MVP is not just a one-off experiment. It is the beginning of a path toward achieving your larger product vision, or "North Star." It sets the direction for future iterations.
What an MVP Is Not
Not a Rushed Product: While speed is a factor in releasing an MVP, it should never be an excuse for delivering a poorly executed product. For example, the experience I had with the tracking system felt rushed, with confusing terminology and incomplete logic, causing more harm than good.
Not Without Metrics: One of the core purposes of an MVP is to learn. You need data to see how users interact with the product, so an MVP without the ability to measure success is essentially useless. If I couldn’t track my shipment properly, it would have been impossible for me to trust the system.
Not Just a Prototype or Proof of Concept (POC): An MVP should provide value even in its simplest form. It’s not just a theoretical demonstration but a fully functional, if limited, product that addresses a real problem.
Not Always Free: Many people believe that MVPs should be free for users to test, but if the MVP delivers value, customers will pay for it. However, in this case, I would have preferred a free product over one that added confusion to my order tracking experience.
MVP and Discovering Your North Star
One of the most important functions of an MVP is that it sets the stage for discovering your product’s North Star—the long-term vision and overarching goal that guides all future development. The feedback and insights gathered from users during the MVP phase are invaluable for refining the product and ensuring it aligns with both user needs and business goals. Each iteration brings the product closer to achieving that North Star.
For the logistics company in my story, having a well-defined MVP with clear metrics and feedback loops could have helped them realize that the tracking page was not delivering the necessary value to users. They could have pivoted early, saving themselves from building a product that confuses users more than it helps.
MVP Sets the Path for Product-Market Fit (PMF)
An MVP plays a crucial role in helping product teams validate assumptions and make necessary adjustments. If the MVP fails to deliver value or solve real problems, it indicates that the product is not ready for scale or wider adoption. It helps product managers determine if they are on the path toward Product-Market Fit (PMF) or if a course correction is needed.
PMF is the stage where a product solves the problem for a well-defined target market and scales successfully. The data collected during the MVP phase informs decisions about whether you’re ready to move toward PMF or need to refine your approach further.
PMF is “the right product for the right market at the right time”.
Bill Campbell
Beyond MVP: Delivering a Product that Lasts
Delivering a great MVP goes beyond just providing a basic product. It’s about finding that balance between a Prototype, Proof of Concept (POC), Minimum Lovable Product (MLP), or Minimum Marketable Product (MMP):
Prototype/POC: This is more of a concept or early visualization of what the product could be. It’s not meant to solve real problems just yet.
MLP (Minimum Lovable Product): This ensures that the MVP is not only functional but also delightful to use. It’s about creating an emotional connection with users.
MMP (Minimum Marketable Product): This focuses on getting the MVP to a stage where it is ready to go to market and be marketed effectively.
A great MVP needs to have elements of all three—it should function properly, delight users, and be marketable. It’s the foundation upon which future versions are built and serves as the first significant step toward discovering and aligning with your North Star.
Building an MVP is not about cutting corners or pushing out a half-baked product. It’s about delivering a simple, clear, and functional solution that addresses a key user pain point while setting the stage for future iterations. When done right, an MVP can provide critical insights and feedback that guide the product team toward achieving Product-Market Fit and ultimately realizing the full product vision—the North Star.
An MVP is a journey, not a destination. It’s the first step toward building a product that not only meets user needs but also supports long-term business goals. So, when building an MVP, always keep your North Star in sight and ensure that every step moves you closer to it.