How to Create a Minimum Viable Product (MVP)

How to Create a Minimum Viable Product (MVP)

Creating an MVP is not about building a prototype or a stripped-down app — it’s about solving one painful problem for one specific user group with the least amount of work possible. It’s your fastest path to learning whether your idea is worth pursuing, and how.

Too many founders waste time building a full product before anyone confirms they actually want it. This guide will help you avoid that mistake and get your MVP out the door with clarity.

Step 1: Define the Core Problem You’re Solving

Before building anything, be able to answer clearly:

  • Who is the user?
  • What problem are they trying to solve?
  • Why is it painful enough for them to pay or switch?

If you can’t describe this in one paragraph without hand-waving or buzzwords, stop here and talk to more users.

Tool: Use the Problem Statement Formula from “Running Lean” by Ash Maurya:

Our [target customers] are struggling with [problem] because [current solution is broken or missing]. We help them by [your value prop].

Step 2: List All Possible Features, Then Ruthlessly Cut

List every feature you think your product needs.

Then ask for each one:

  • Does it directly help solve the core problem?
  • Will a user pay or switch for this?
  • Can I launch without it?

Cut everything else.

Example: Dropbox’s MVP was a 3-minute video. It didn’t even build the syncing tech yet — it just showed the idea. That was enough to attract early users.

Tip: A great book on validating before full scale development is The Lean Startup by Eric Ries.

Step 3: Choose the Right MVP Format

Your MVP doesn’t have to be software.

Choose the simplest way to deliver the core value:

  • No-code MVP: Use tools like Glide, Softr, or Bubble to build quick apps.
  • Landing page test: Build a simple site using Carrd or Webflow. Add a signup button, see if people click.
  • Wizard of Oz: Fake the backend. E.g., a user thinks a tool automates something, but you do it manually behind the scenes.
  • Video MVP: Show what the product would do. Collect emails from interested viewers.
  • Concierge MVP: Offer the service manually 1:1 to a few users. No tech at all.

Tool Picks:

Step 4: Set a Clear Learning Goal

Your MVP is not about building. It’s about learning. Before you launch anything, ask:

  • What is the one assumption I need to test?
  • What would prove or disprove it?

Examples:

  • Will people sign up for a tool that automates YouTube transcripts?
  • Will restaurant owners pay for an SMS-based reservation tool?

Track real behavior. Not opinions, not likes. Ask for time, money, or attention.

Step 5: Launch to Real Users, Not Your Friends

Don’t just ask your friends or LinkedIn followers. Go to where your target users hang out.

Places to test:

  • Niche subreddits
  • Indie Hackers, Hacker News
  • Facebook or Slack groups
  • Cold outreach to specific users on LinkedIn or Twitter
  • Local businesses if B2B

Example: A founder building for Shopify sellers started by DM-ing 50 sellers on Instagram. He got 12 calls in a week — enough to test a landing page and pricing.

Step 6: Collect Feedback Like a Scientist

Talk to your users after they interact with your MVP. Ask:

  • What did you expect this product to do?
  • What confused or frustrated you?
  • What would you pay for this? If not, why?

Don’t pitch or defend. Listen. Record everything.

Recommended Book: The Mom Test by Rob Fitzpatrick — teaches you how to ask better questions and get honest feedback from users.

Step 7: Iterate Based on What You Learn

Now improve your MVP, or pivot if you learn that your core assumption was wrong. If no one cares, good — you just saved 6 months of building the wrong thing.

If users are engaged or paying, keep going and expand slowly.

Focus on improving only one thing at a time:

  • Onboarding
  • Clarity of value
  • Retention
  • Pricing

Common Mistakes to Avoid

  • Overbuilding: If it takes you more than 4–6 weeks to launch your MVP, you’re building too much.
  • Seeking perfection: MVPs are meant to be ugly. You’re testing value, not design.
  • Ignoring feedback: The point isn’t to “prove yourself right,” it’s to learn what actually works.

Final Advice

The best MVPs are born from deep user understanding and smart constraints. Use the tools above to build something quick and focused, then talk to real users. Don’t get stuck in your own head. You’re not trying to win awards — you’re trying to find out if your idea has real legs.

Build fast, launch early, and learn like your business depends on it — because it does.