5 hints about building an MVP - Agile Software Development

The most important part of building an MVP (Minimum Viable Product) other than the product itself, is having the right Application Development partner that uses Agile Software Development

To build a winning MVP sometimes less is more. That is why a wishlist supported by Agile Software Development is your logical first step.

It doesn’t matter how good is your product idea, as with any great hand of cards, it has to be well played to succeed. Here are 5 key tips that we, Teravision, recommend after hundreds of project interacting with business managers and entrepreneurs when building an MVP:

1. Focus on money-making differentiation. Identify your customer’s needs and build a wishlist of all their requirements (the “Big” software product). After that is completed, conduct a market test to define a subset of functionalities that will satisfy your customer needs, in this way your MVP will be a success (financially speaking).
2. Try to make it Web responsive. In most MVPs, the most cost-effective approach is to develop a Web application that covers all tasks but is also web responsive for every end-user functionality.
3. A web responsive MVP can reduce cost in 20-30% out of non-successful functionalities that every MVP encounters after release. Keep those resources for next rounds, that should include more profitable and new functionalities, like for example in the Mobile App Development of a version of your product for iOS and Android.
4. Plan for 8 to 16 weeks of Application Development. This is a reasonable time scope to maintain team motivation at its peak.
5. Install a very strict requirement gathering process. Design all wireframes before starting the development project. This is the fastest way to collect user stories, acceptance test and to discuss any add-on that could be needed. This will help minimizes unseen requirements in Backlog since day one.
6. By having the wireframes and user stories in advance you, as a customer, are in control of your needs and time. While improving collaboration with your nearshore software development partner.
7. Be a picky Product Owner. When working for delivering you should aim for one or two major releases, efficiency is important:

• Have a transparent relationship with the Scrum Master.
• Work in advance for the grooming sessions, 2-3 meetings with the ongoing sprint.
• Try to eliminate major changes requests (here is the importance of well-done wireframes and user stories gathering).
• Be active in daily stand-ups meetings. Try to be a helpful hand in removing obstacles to development.
• Run comprehensive tests after every sprint, and share your results with the team.
• Do not hesitate to request more resources or testers. Your software partner should provide “Bench” resources for Ramp-up in a reasonable time, like 48 hours.
• Take advantage of transparency, the openness of communications, and automation of activities provided by the Agile Software Development framework.

Keep it Simple.

Simple is better. Take care of the unique value proposition of your product. We at Teravision Technologies take the product offer seriously when building an MVP. Since that is where the value-added of your MVP will be.

Teravision has worked successfully with startups and established companies building MVPs as Application Development provider. In all cases we stick to a proven results methodology, providing the stack of technologies and experts advice to get the job done.

Contact Us. Let’s build your MVP together on Time and Budget by combining your market insights with Agile Software Development in an effective way.