Building a Mobile App? Don’t Skip the MVP Phase

Have you ever wondered what Instagram, Netflix, and Spotify have in common? They all started as MVPs. That’s right, the giants of the tech world all began with a basic product that solved a specific problem.

These apps began with simple but functional versions that allowed their developers to test assumptions and validate their concepts. With valuable customer feedback, they refined and added the best features, eventually evolving into the successful powerhouses we see today. 

Your business has the potential to achieve similar success. However, it’s important to understand the process of MVP mobile app development and the advantages it can offer to your business. Let’s dive into this.

What Is an MVP?

An MVP, which stands for Minimum Viable Product, is essentially the most basic and functional version of your mobile app. It should have only the essential features and functions, and it should be easy to build and launch. The goal of an MVP is to get feedback from users as quickly as possible so that you can iterate on your product and improve it.

MVPs help businesses make better decisions by finding early adopters and users who validate a product idea at the start of the Product Development cycle. The final version of the product is developed after carefully considering the feedback from these early users. This approach helps avoid numerous programming mistakes and provides an advantage over those who launch the final solution all at once.

The concept of an MVP was first proposed by Frank Robinson in 2001. He called it a “bootstrapped product” and described it as a product that is “just good enough to get feedback from customers.” Eric Ries later popularised the concept of an MVP as part of his Lean Startup Methodology. Ries argued that entrepreneurs should start with an MVP and then use customer feedback to iterate on their product until it is successful.

Benefits of Building an MVP App

Building an MVP app is a great way to test your mobile app idea and get feedback from real users. Here are some of the benefits of building an MVP app:

1. Prioritise Core Functionalities. The MVP approach allows you to focus on the essential functionalities of your product. This means that you can test your product idea with real users without having to worry about adding unnecessary features. 
2. Maintain a Clear Vision. During the initial stages of product development, it is important to define the core features and customer value of your software and document them. Sharing this vision checklist with your team helps you stay on track and make informed decisions in the long run.
3. Build Early Customer Relationships. Timing is crucial in business. Engaging new users and stakeholders at the early stage of development helps generate valuable feedback and word-of-mouth promotion. This customer-oriented approach ensures that your product meets the needs of your target audience.
4. Better Understanding of Customer Needs. Collecting data and conducting thorough research on your target audience is invaluable. Feedback from early adopters surpasses assumptions made by business analysts and experienced advisors. Early client testing enables you to identify the most appreciated functionalities, the least favoured ones, and gather insights for future feature additions.
5. Streamlined User Interface. The MVP approach prevents your initial product from becoming cluttered with unnecessary features, resulting in an easily adopted and user-friendly product. It also provides an opportunity to evaluate the performance of different features individually without overwhelming your team.
6. Faster Release Cycle. Focusing on core functionality significantly speeds up the product release. By launching the first version of your product, you can quickly test key hypotheses and gather user feedback on both core and desired features. Delaying the release can lead to the development of unnecessary features and costly bug fixes. Being responsive and delivering incremental updates makes you more competitive in the market.
7. Flexibility and Continuous Updates. Building an MVP allows you to be highly responsive to the ever-changing demands of the fast-paced market. It creates room for updates and incorporation of features requested by customers. Additionally, you can take advantage of new technologies and tools as they become available, keeping your product relevant in a competitive landscape.
8. Low-risk Development. It’s important to remember that advanced, large-scale apps take years of development, as well as significant money and time investments. Building an MVP mitigates risks by allowing you to start small and progressively add valuable features over time.

When Is an MVP Worth It? 

In general, starting with an MVP is recommended for all startups. It is particularly beneficial for new products entering the market. Launching with a basic version allows you to observe user reception and tailor your product to their needs. You can decide whether to add additional features, improve the user interface, or refine your monetisation strategy based on user feedback.

However, an MVP can also be valuable for established products across any industry or size. It allows you to work wisely, launch quickly, and establish a user base early on. The MVP methodology enables you to respond to market demands effectively, making it worthwhile for every aspect of your product’s outcome.

Ready to Build Your MVP?

Sometimes, clients and project managers get so excited about their MVP that they start adding more and more features. This can contradict the whole idea of an MVP, as the UI can become cluttered with secondary functions. And the more features an app has, the more difficult it is to make changes to the app’s main functionality. This can be a major headache for developers and can lead to bugs and other problems.

Working with an experienced and affordable mobile app developer who has done it all before is a good place to start. They can help you avoid wasting money if your app idea is a failure, or give you traction fast if you’re on to something.

Our team is ready to start working on your MVP as soon as you contact us. Don’t delay any further – let’s start today to bring you profitable results tomorrow. Contact us at Creativ Digital and let’s make your idea a reality.

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