Minimum Viable Product

A Minimum Viable Product (MVP) is the simplest version of a product that delivers core functionality and value to users while allowing teams to gather feedback for future improvements. It is a critical concept in both Design Thinking and Growth Hacking, as it supports rapid development, iterative refinement, and user-centred decision-making.

In Design Thinking:

• User-Centric Prototyping: An MVP aligns with the Prototyping and Testing stages, focusing on quickly developing a basic solution that addresses a key user need or problem.
• Validating Assumptions: By testing an MVP with users, design teams can validate whether the core functionality resonates with their audience and refine the solution accordingly.
• Minimising Risk: Launching an MVP allows teams to explore a concept without committing extensive resources, reducing the risk of investing in features or ideas that may not succeed.

In Growth Hacking:

• Rapid Experimentation: Growth hackers use MVPs to test ideas quickly, such as new features or acquisition strategies, gathering data on user behaviour and impact.
• Iterative Optimisation: Insights from an MVP inform growth experiments, enabling teams to improve and scale successful initiatives while discarding ineffective ones.
• Cost-Effective Launches: By focusing on essential features, MVPs allow growth teams to bring products or updates to market faster and at a lower cost, increasing agility and responsiveness.

Examples of Application:

• In Design Thinking: Developing an MVP for a meal delivery app with basic functionality like meal selection and ordering, testing it with users to refine the interface and expand features.
• In Growth Hacking: Launching an MVP of a referral programme, measuring its impact on user acquisition, and iterating the rewards structure based on user feedback.

A Minimum Viable Product is essential in both Design Thinking and Growth Hacking for validating ideas, reducing time to market, and fostering iterative improvement. By focusing on delivering core value while gathering actionable insights, an MVP ensures that efforts are user-centred, efficient, and aligned with business objectives.