GRIN tech's Pitch

Do you have an idea that's going to change the world or just earn shit loads of money?

GRIN tech is a full-cycle agency doing design, development and digital marketing.

Get in touch and see how we can make it happen. Partners for life at best, some free ideas and brainstorming at worst.

Q: Wow, does it really costs just $500? A: Nope, for $500 we'll write the brief together with you AND do wireframes, so the project's scope is clear for both parties. That way we can provide a precise cost & timeline.

MVP 101

MVP (Minimum Viable Product) is a minimally viable product, the earliest version of the product, which has only the necessary features to bring the fundamental values to the audience and test them on the first users.

In general, MVP is aimed at collecting feedback and forming ideas about whether users need the product at all. The first users can share their vision of functionality, which will allow developers to make adjustments to the product and plan future updates based on the data received on user preferences. The MVP strategy reduces the development cost, as well as the risk of financial failure due to the delivery of an undesirable product to the market. Eric Ries, the entrepreneur and author of The Lean Startup, gives a complete definition of the minimum viable product, paying special attention to the learning opportunities that MVP offers.

According to him, MVP is "the version of the new product that allows the team to collect the maximum amount of proven customer knowledge with the least effort."

It is important to understand that MVP's strategy is not about creating a small product to achieve a short-term goal. The method involves developing the first, most simplified version of the product available for public use. Improvements made to this version are always based on feedback. The purpose of MVP is to find out what features the product should provide to the target group of users.

MVP and PoC: What's the difference

MVP should not be confused with proof of concept (POC). The latter can be interpreted differently depending on the industry. First of all, the proof of concept is not an early version of the product. PoC in software development describes processes aimed at determining whether a software concept is technically viable. The team can also choose this approach in order to identify the required scope of work and the best development technologies, identify possible technical problems and find solutions. Drew Houston, the founder of Dropbox, made an explanatory video and explained how Dropbox should work. About 75,000 people signed up for it on the first night. A similar method can be implemented through a blog where you share ideas about the product you are planning to develop with the audience. Although some of you may attribute proof of concept to MVP, we tend to classify it separately as PoC. The terms MVP and PoC are related, but not interchangeable. The proof of concept, which is optimally implemented, becomes the minimum viable product.