When creating a Minimum Viable Product (MVP), entrepreneurs are tempted to try and make the product perfect before launching it. However, having a perfect MVP from the start is not the goal. Instead, entrepreneurs should strive for what is known as a “Stage Appropriate MVP”, or an MVP that meets the needs of the customer at each stage of the product’s development.
So what does “Stage Appropriate” mean? In essence, an MVP should be tailored to the stage that it is in. Early stages, such as discovery and the design phase, will often require a simpler MVP with basic features andcore functionality. As the product catches up to the market, more features and refinements will be needed to meet the customer’s requirements.
Rather than trying to make the perfect MVP upfront, entrepreneurs should focus on what the customer needs at each stage. It is far better to launch a basic MVP that meets the customer’s current demands, then refine the product over time. This allows time to market to be much faster, and cuts down on the costs associated with trying to launch a perfect MVP.
By taking an incremental approach when creating an MVP, entrepreneurs can save time, cost, and resources. Crafting a Stage Appropriate MVP allows for focus on what really matters at each stage of development – meeting customer needs as well as creating an MVP that can be continually improved as the product matures.
Overall, when launching an MVP entrepreneurs should strive for a “Stage Appropriate MVP” over a perfect MVP. By doing so, entrepreneurs can speed up their time to market and lower the upfront costs necessary in creating the perfect MVP.
