Minimum Viable Product: What It Actually Means

The term "Minimum Viable Product" has been tortured beyond recognition. Here's what it is NOT:

MVP is NOT:
  ✗ A crappy version of your full product
  ✗ A prototype with bugs you're too lazy to fix
  ✗ A landing page with no product behind it (that's a smoke test)
  ✗ Version 1.0 of your grand vision
  ✗ The smallest thing you can build

MVP IS:
  ✓ The smallest product that delivers real value to real users
  ✓ AND lets you learn whether your core assumption is right

Two conditions. Both required. It must deliver VALUE (people actually use it). And it must generate LEARNING (you discover something you didn't know).

1 / 11

The Build-Measure-Learn Loop

Vanity Metrics vs Actionable Metrics

Rex — Minimum Viable Product: What It Actually Means

Gemini Flash

Ask Rex anything about this lesson

Get help with concepts, run prompts, practice exercises, or ask what to do next.

Lean Startup & Product Validation/Lean Foundations/Minimum Viable Product: What It Actually Means

25 minLesson 2 of 12

Minimum Viable Product: What It Actually Means

The term "Minimum Viable Product" has been tortured beyond recognition. Here's what it is NOT:

MVP is NOT:
  ✗ A crappy version of your full product
  ✗ A prototype with bugs you're too lazy to fix
  ✗ A landing page with no product behind it (that's a smoke test)
  ✗ Version 1.0 of your grand vision
  ✗ The smallest thing you can build

MVP IS:
  ✓ The smallest product that delivers real value to real users
  ✓ AND lets you learn whether your core assumption is right

Two conditions. Both required. It must deliver VALUE (people actually use it). And it must generate LEARNING (you discover something you didn't know).

1 / 11

The Build-Measure-Learn Loop

Vanity Metrics vs Actionable Metrics

Lean Startup & Product Validation/Lean Foundations/Minimum Viable Product: What It Actually Means

25 minLesson 2 of 12

Minimum Viable Product: What It Actually Means

The term "Minimum Viable Product" has been tortured beyond recognition. Here's what it is NOT:

MVP is NOT:
  ✗ A crappy version of your full product
  ✗ A prototype with bugs you're too lazy to fix
  ✗ A landing page with no product behind it (that's a smoke test)
  ✗ Version 1.0 of your grand vision
  ✗ The smallest thing you can build

MVP IS:
  ✓ The smallest product that delivers real value to real users
  ✓ AND lets you learn whether your core assumption is right

Two conditions. Both required. It must deliver VALUE (people actually use it). And it must generate LEARNING (you discover something you didn't know).

1 / 11

The Build-Measure-Learn Loop

Vanity Metrics vs Actionable Metrics

Rex — Minimum Viable Product: What It Actually Means

Gemini Flash

Ask Rex anything about this lesson

Get help with concepts, run prompts, practice exercises, or ask what to do next.

Lean Startup & Product Validation/Lean Foundations/Minimum Viable Product: What It Actually Means

25 minLesson 2 of 12

Minimum Viable Product: What It Actually Means

The term "Minimum Viable Product" has been tortured beyond recognition. Here's what it is NOT:

MVP is NOT:
  ✗ A crappy version of your full product
  ✗ A prototype with bugs you're too lazy to fix
  ✗ A landing page with no product behind it (that's a smoke test)
  ✗ Version 1.0 of your grand vision
  ✗ The smallest thing you can build

MVP IS:
  ✓ The smallest product that delivers real value to real users
  ✓ AND lets you learn whether your core assumption is right

Two conditions. Both required. It must deliver VALUE (people actually use it). And it must generate LEARNING (you discover something you didn't know).

1 / 11

The Build-Measure-Learn Loop

Vanity Metrics vs Actionable Metrics