Universal Principles of Design, Updated and Expanded Third Edition

119 Minimum-Viable Product

A version of a product with just enough features to evaluate customer demand.

A Minimum-Viable Product (MVP) is a product used to gauge demand and inform business and product strategy. The goal is to invest the minimum amount of energy, money, and time to validate that there is product demand — i.e., that people will buy it — and then to either use what’s learned to cut bait or iterate the design into a mature offering. MVPs are typically more complete and refined than functional prototypes but less complete and refined than production products.1

MVPs are typically tested by employees, trusted friends, and existing customers who are early adopters — people who can understand the long-term vision, forgive the shortcomings ...