MVP vs. Prototype: Debunking Myths and Clarifying Differences

The Great MVP Misunderstanding

Startups often misinterpret the concept of a Minimum Viable Product (MVP). Let's clear the air:

• An MVP is not your actual product
• It's not the start of your codebase
• It's not a small set of features you'll expand later

So, what is an MVP?

MVP: Your Demand Validation Tool

At its core, an MVP is about validating demand for a problem to be solved. It's a tool to test your critical hypotheses - the 1-3 beliefs that must be true for your product to succeed.

Key points:

• MVPs don't have to be real products
• They don't need to be pretty
• Their sole purpose is to validate assumptions

Pro tip: Your MVP should be disposable. This prevents the temptation to turn it into your actual product.

Example: The Landing Page MVP

A simple landing page can serve as an MVP. If you're testing distribution assumptions, create:

1. Basic social ads
2. A landing page with email capture

This validates demand without writing a single line of code.

Prototypes: The Next Step

Once you've validated demand, enter the world of prototypes.

How Prototypes Differ from MVPs

Prototypes are:

• Early versions of your actual product
• Used to validate your solution approach
• Biased towards your problem-solving opinions

The main learning from prototypes: Do customers resonate with your planned solution?

Two Types of Prototypes

1. Static Prototypes

• Screenshot mockups of potential product designs
• Often presented in slide decks or tools like Figma
• Faster to create than dynamic prototypes
• Useful for quick user feedback

2. Dynamic Prototypes

• Clickable software pieces users can interact with
• Often built with no/low code tools for speed
• Allow full validation of user experience
• Provide deeper insights into solution resonance

Choosing the Right Approach

Remember:

• Start with an MVP to validate demand
• Move to prototypes to test your solution
• Choose static or dynamic prototypes based on time constraints and depth of insights needed

By understanding these differences, you'll save time, resources, and increase your chances of building a product people actually want.