Developing a completed product without validating its viability can be a costly mistake. The development of a minimal viable product (MVP) allows for an iterative approach to product development. By quickly creating and testing an MVP, we can gather feedback from users early in the process, enabling us to refine and improve the product continuously.
Whether you need a prototype to convince investors or an to go to market with, developing it fast and efficiently is the goal. As a CTO/co-founder, I've made and led the development of many prototypes and MVPs. My experience in software development and Agile methodologies allows me to lead rapid prototyping and MVP development cycles, ensuring that your company remains agile and responsive to market demands.
In order to know how to build your prototype or MVP, I need to understand what you want to build. Maybe you already have some mockups or a detailed description of your product through user stories. If not, I can help you gather your ideas through workshops and interviews with stakeholders in order to write user stories, which are concise, simple descriptions of features or functionalities from the perspective of an end user. This way, we can make sure we're building the right thing from the start.
Maybe your team is already used to working in an agile process. If so, great! If not, we have to set it up. In Agile development, we work in short iterations, called sprints, where we develop a small part of the product. After each sprint, we evaluate what we've built and decide what to do next. This way, not only do we make the most important parts first, but we also make sure we're building the right thing.
Once the MVP is built, we can go live. In agile development, testing the product in the market, collecting feedback and adapting quickly is the name of the game. By testing ideas early and often, we can identify and mitigate risks before they escalate. Prototyping and MVP development allow us to validate assumptions, assess technical feasibility, and identify potential roadblocks early in the development process.