We all understand the necessity of validating an app idea to see if it works or not before starting investing all resources for building the entire product. But how can you see if your app will reach the wanted success without developing it? The answer is to build a Minimum Viable Product. We will share further everything you need to know about this technique.
What is an MVP
As usual, we need to clarify what exactly a Minimum Viable Product (MVP) means. We are referring to a product, in our case a mobile app that is built only with minimum features in order to test the environment before realizing if your creation works or not. In other words, determining its viability will allow your app to evolve (or not).
Benefits of Building a Minimum Viable Product
Let’s discover the advantages offered by this strategy for helping you to decide if it is the right move for you.
Early Testing Opportunity
It is better to find out from early stages if your idea will function as you want, without investing your entire budget.
Gathering Feedback And User Intelligence
MVP provides the possibility to discover your potential users’ opinion and in what way they will receive your final product.
Enables Checking Maket Validity
In the same time, MVP helps you to understand if your app is suitable for the marketing that will present it in front of your customers and in what way your creation is different from the others.
Budget Friendly
One of the most important advantages is that it prevents the spending of all of your resources on things that may not function.
Best Practices of MVP in App Development
We will list the main methods that will allow you to create a proper minimum viable product for sharing your ideas with your audience.
Display Core Features
The general reason to create a MVP is to present the main functionality of your app without stuffing it with additional features. If you receive from your users the wanted feedback then you will have the chance to improve it.
Complete Design
It is better to present a minimum product for your testers but it is necessary to complete its design for showing them what you want to achieve. Otherwise there are small chances for them to understand anything. We invite you to take a closer look at our article about 5 Wireframe and Mockup Tools For The Best Mobile App Design.
Identify Strengths And Weaknesses
In order to prevent your app’s failure, you need to decide its best points and the elements that won’t create the wanted impact. It is relatively hard to discover what features aren’t necessary for the basic version but you need to stick with the most representative activities of your app.
Analyze User Feedbacks
It is imperative to study your customers’ opinions and to really listen to them when you look to create the best app available on the market. Just keep it simple and allow testers to express their thoughts for improving your product. This way you can continue to add or to remove some parts of your app and you will be one step closer to develop your great work of art.
Start Drawing Product Roadmap
You need to carefully plan your release because at the moment you create your MVP you also have to market it. Pay attention to all the necessary stages without missing an important aspect of your app’s path. A timeline is necessary to make your strategy work.
Try Soft Launch Before The Big Launch
It is mandatory to understand if you have to test some smaller waters before throwing your app in the big sea. One of the reasons why so many apps fail is that the owners make so many mistakes before launching them that it is not hard for an expert to predict this catastrophic end. When you want to see what is the probability of your app to succeed, even if we are talking about only a minimum viable product it is better to try a soft launch before the great release for the general public. There are various advantages and disadvantages of this method but it is your job to decide the best formula for your app.
4 Great Examples Of Minimum Viable Product
What is the theory without some worthy examples to prove our point?
Uber
Uber, the popular cab app started only for the audience in San Francisco allowing mobile users to communicate with taxi drivers and to pay them for their ride. Only after they received the right feedback they added other elements for improving the app.
Amazon
Amazon is now a huge platform but at first, its owners had to understand if their project will work or not. They started with small steps until they realize that their business is something that people would appreciate and the services provided by Amazon will improve customers’ lives.
DropBox
When you want to build an app that implies a lot of effort such as DropBox it is better to start with something smaller like the video its owners presented to avoid the risk of developing an entire app that nobody would care about. Luckily the results were satisfying and the app is a success.
Foursquare
For the evolution of a location-based social network, a great influence is considered the way its users interact with the features displayed. A Minimum Viable Product was the solution for Foursquare’s owners to discover if the app will be appreciated by potential customers.
FINAL THOUGHTS
Your app is like a ship which is going to navigate on the angry waters of an overcrowded market. Is it better to start with a smaller boat called MVP and to build around it an entire craft that will help you reach the wanted destination? As the captain of the crew, it is your call to decide what is better for your treasure but it is imperative to consider the other elements that will influence your journey. So, calculate all your steps before throwing that chest overboard.