Building MVP development from scratch

What is MVP Development?

MVP development is the process of creating a product with the minimum set of features needed to validate your core business assumptions. It’s not about building a basic version of your final product, but rather building the smallest possible thing that can prove or disprove your riskiest assumptions. The goal is learning, not launching.

Why Should You Care?

Building an MVP helps you avoid wasting months or years building something nobody wants. Instead of investing heavily in features based on assumptions, you test your hypotheses quickly and cheaply. Successful companies like Dropbox, Airbnb, and Uber all started with simple MVPs that validated their core value propositions before scaling.

Before You Start

Prerequisites

Clear problem statement and target customer definition
Identified riskiest assumptions that need validation
Basic understanding of your market and competitive landscape
Access to potential early users for feedback

What You’ll Need

Customer development skills for interviews and feedback collection
Basic technical knowledge or access to development resources
Analytics tools for measuring user behavior
A mindset focused on learning over launching

Step-by-Step Tutorial

Step 1: Define Your Core Assumption

Start by identifying the single most important hypothesis your product needs to prove. Use this format: “We believe that [target customer] will [achieve outcome] by using [our solution] because [reason].”

For example: “We believe that freelance designers will find clients more efficiently by using our curated matching platform because it eliminates time spent on self-marketing.”

Step 2: Choose Your MVP Type

Select the appropriate MVP approach based on what you need to validate:

Concierge MVP: Manually deliver the service yourself to test demand before building automation Landing Page MVP: Create a marketing page to measure interest and collect email signups Wizard of Oz MVP: Build a frontend that appears automated but uses manual backend processes Piecemeal MVP: Combine existing tools and services to create the experience without custom development

Step 3: Map User Journey and Key Features

Identify the minimum steps a user must take to experience your core value proposition. Focus on the critical path that delivers the main benefit, ignoring nice-to-have features.

Create a feature matrix with three columns:

Must-have: Features essential for core value delivery
Should-have: Important but can be added later
Won’t-have: Features explicitly excluded from MVP

Step 4: Build and Test Rapidly

Develop your MVP using the fastest possible approach. This might mean:

No-code/low-code tools for web applications
Simple mobile app builders for iOS/Android
Manual processes for complex backend functionality
Existing APIs and third-party integrations

Set a strict timeline (2-4 weeks maximum) and budget constraints to force focus on essentials.

Step 5: Measure and Learn

Define success metrics before launch:

Activation rate: Percentage of users who complete the core action
Retention: Users who return within a specific timeframe
Satisfaction: Qualitative feedback and NPS scores
Behavioral signals: Actions indicating real value (not just curiosity)

Collect both quantitative data and qualitative feedback through interviews and surveys.

Step 6: Iterate or Pivot

Based on your learning, decide whether to:

Persevere: Continue refining the current approach
Pivot: Change direction based on insights
Perish: Abandon the idea if assumptions prove invalid

Document your learnings and use them to inform the next iteration or new hypothesis.

What’s Next?

After validating your core assumptions with an MVP, you can:

Scale the product by adding features based on user feedback
Expand to additional customer segments or use cases
Optimize for growth and retention metrics
Build out technical infrastructure for increased scale

Remember that MVP is not the end goal but the starting point for a continuous learning and improvement process.

Common Questions

Q: How do I know when my MVP is “done”? Your MVP is done when it can effectively validate or invalidate your core hypothesis. Don’t focus on completeness; focus on learning capability.

Q: Should I charge for my MVP? Yes, if possible. Paying customers provide the strongest validation of value. Even a small price filters out non-serious users and provides meaningful feedback.

Q: What if my MVP looks unprofessional? Focus on function over appearance for early validation. However, ensure the core experience is polished enough that users can evaluate the value proposition without being distracted by rough edges.

Tools & Resources

Bubble/Adalo - No-code platforms for web and mobile MVPs
Typeform/Google Forms - Simple survey and data collection tools
Zapier/Integromat - Automation tools for connecting existing services
Figma/InVision - Prototyping tools for testing user interfaces
Google Analytics/Mixpanel - Basic analytics for user behavior tracking

Core Product Development

Customer Research & Validation

Analytics & Measurement

Product Analytics: Complete Implementation Guide

User Experience

Need Help With Implementation?

While the MVP concept seems simple, executing it effectively requires experience in assumption testing, rapid development, and user feedback analysis. Built By Dakic specializes in helping startups build and launch MVPs that deliver meaningful learning while minimizing wasted effort. Get in touch for a free consultation and discover how we can help you validate your ideas faster and more effectively.