How can you avoid over-scoping your MVP?
Creating a Minimum Viable Product (MVP) is a pivotal step in business development, as it allows you to test your product's core features and value proposition with minimal resources. However, one common pitfall is over-scoping, which can lead to wasted time, resources, and a product that's too complex for initial market feedback. To avoid this, you must focus on the essentials, prioritize customer feedback, and be willing to iterate.
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Dr Reji Kurien ThomasI Empower Sectors as a Global Tech & Business Transformation Leader| Stephen Hawking Award| Harvard Leader| UK House of…
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Aminata THERA🏆 Top Voice LinkedIn I 📈 On accélère la croissance de ton entreprise | +150 entreprises accompagnées 🚀
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Sheraz AhmedBusiness Development Manager | Lead Generation Specialist | Email Marketing Pro | Inside Sales Specialist | Business…
An MVP, or Minimum Viable Product, is the most basic version of your product that still delivers your core value proposition. To avoid over-scoping, clearly define what "minimum" and "viable" mean for your product. This involves identifying the most critical features that solve your customers' primary problem. Anything beyond that can distract from the core purpose and inflate your scope. Remember, the goal is to launch quickly, learn from actual users, and refine.
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Sheraz Ahmed
Business Development Manager | Lead Generation Specialist | Email Marketing Pro | Inside Sales Specialist | Business Development Executive | Upwork Bidding Master | Sales Development Representative | BD Consultant
To avoid over-scoping your MVP, focus on essential features that address core user needs. Prioritize functionality that delivers value quickly and iteratively, keeping the scope minimalistic yet impactful.
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Aminata THERA
🏆 Top Voice LinkedIn I 📈 On accélère la croissance de ton entreprise | +150 entreprises accompagnées 🚀
Définir votre MVP nécessite une approche ciblée et méthodique. - Identifiez les fonctionnalités cruciales, rien de superflu. - Pensez impact client, pas complexité technologique. - Commencez petit, apprenez vite, ajustez intelligemment. - Évitez l’ajout de fonctionnalités non essentielles. - Priorisez la valeur utilisateur immédiate. - Utilisez les retours utilisateurs pour guider les améliorations. - Maintenez le focus sur la résolution du problème clé. - Simplifiez pour accélérer le lancement et l'apprentissage. - Réduisez les risques en limitant le champ d’action initial. - Restez flexible, adaptez-vous aux besoins évolutifs.
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Zabe Siddique
Transforming Businesses with Strategic ERP Solutions | 💡 ERP Industry Pioneer, 300+ businesses transformed💡 | NetSuite Partner | Aussie in the USA | Devoted Dad & Australian Rules Football Fan 🏈
Prioritize user needs and feedback when determining the features of your MVP. Directly engaging with your target audience allows you to identify and prioritize the essential functionalities that address their pain points effectively.
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Muhammad Burhan Tariq
Head of Business Development | International Direct Sales | Bench Sales | Strategic Planning | Marketing Strategy | Staff Augmentation | Lead Generation Expert | Generate Revenue | IT Services and Resources
To avoid over-scoping your Minimum Viable Product (MVP), focus on defining clear objectives and prioritizing essential features. Start by identifying the core problem your MVP aims to solve and narrow down features that directly address this need. Set realistic timelines and constraints to prevent adding unnecessary functionalities that could complicate development and delay the product launch. Regularly gather feedback from stakeholders to refine and adjust the scope as needed to maintain a lean and effective MVP.
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Sheraz Ahmed
Business Development Manager | Lead Generation Specialist | Email Marketing Pro | Inside Sales Specialist | Business Development Executive | Upwork Bidding Master | Sales Development Representative | BD Consultant
An MVP, or Minimum Viable Product, is the bare-bones version of your product that serves your core value proposition. Defining what "minimum" and "viable" mean for your product is crucial to avoid over-scoping. Focus on essential features that address your customers' primary problem, launch quickly, gather feedback, and iterate.
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Amrit Pritam Nath
Passionate Quality Management Professional || 🔆LinkedIn Top Voice || Driving Excellence and Continuous Improvement || Assistant Manager QA/QC (MR) at Commercial Syn Bags Limited.
Focus on Core Features: Prioritize essential functionalities that address key user needs. Set Clear Objectives: Define MVP goals and stick to them to prevent feature creep. Minimal Design: Keep design simple and functional, avoiding unnecessary complexity. Continuous Feedback: Gather user feedback to refine and prioritize features iteratively. Agile Approach: Embrace agile development methodologies to adapt to changing requirements. Timeboxing: Set strict timelines to limit scope expansion and maintain focus on MVP objectives.
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Aakash Jaiswal
Working since 16 years old | Problem-Solver | Idea factory | Startup | Ex-agency owner | Brand Building | Researcher | Outsourcing | Record Retrieval & Revenue Cycle Management | Gambler | Crypto
Start by understanding the essence of an MVP as the most basic version of your product that delivers the core value proposition. Clearly define what "minimum" and "viable" mean for your product to stay focused on essential features.
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Julio Ramirez
Senior Strategic Business Developer
An MVP isn't about cramming every feature imaginable into your product; it's about distilling your core value proposition into its purest form. Dr. Reji Kurien Thomas, a global tech and business transformation leader, emphasizes the importance of setting boundaries and embracing iteration.
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Shaheer Maqbool
Business-Tech Liaison | Mobile & Web Apps Solutions Specialist
Clearly outline the core functionality and purpose of your MVP. Focus on solving a specific problem or addressing a key need for your target audience. Keep the scope narrow to deliver value quickly and efficiently.
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Gui Rastelli
Product Lifecycle | Product Strategist | Global Product Innovation SME | Agile & SAFe Certified | Product Design | Experiential Marketing | CX SME | Data Driven | Product Management | Cross-Functional Product Leader
Start by clearly defining what constitutes your MVP. The MVP is the version of your product that includes only the core features necessary to solve the primary problem or address the main user need. It is not meant to be a fully-featured product but a minimal version that provides value to early adopters.
Prioritizing features is crucial in preventing over-scoping. Start by listing all the features you think your product needs. Then, categorize them based on must-haves versus nice-to-haves. Must-have features are non-negotiable as they directly address the problem your MVP aims to solve. On the other hand, nice-to-have features can often be implemented in later versions after validating the product's market fit.
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Aminata THERA
🏆 Top Voice LinkedIn I 📈 On accélère la croissance de ton entreprise | +150 entreprises accompagnées 🚀
Prioriser les fonctionnalités est la clé pour un MVP réussi. - Listez toutes les fonctionnalités imaginées. - Classez-les par ordre d'importance critique. - Distinguez entre indispensables et agréables à avoir. - Concentrez-vous sur les fonctionnalités résolvant le problème principal. - Implémentez les autres après validation du produit. - Testez l'adéquation au marché rapidement. - Réduisez les distractions en éliminant le superflu. - Gardez une approche utilisateur centrée. - Favorisez l’itération rapide et l'apprentissage. - Assurez-vous que chaque ajout apporte une réelle valeur.
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Zabe Siddique
Transforming Businesses with Strategic ERP Solutions | 💡 ERP Industry Pioneer, 300+ businesses transformed💡 | NetSuite Partner | Aussie in the USA | Devoted Dad & Australian Rules Football Fan 🏈
Apply lean development principles to streamline your feature prioritization efforts and maximize efficiency. Embrace concepts such as minimalism, focusing on delivering the most value with the least amount of work, and prioritize features that offer the highest impact with minimal complexity.
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Aakash Jaiswal
Working since 16 years old | Problem-Solver | Idea factory | Startup | Ex-agency owner | Brand Building | Researcher | Outsourcing | Record Retrieval & Revenue Cycle Management | Gambler | Crypto
Categorize features into must-haves and nice-to-haves. Must-have features directly solve the primary problem, while nice-to-have features can wait for future versions after validating market fit.
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Julio Ramirez
Senior Strategic Business Developer
Prioritizing features ensures your product focuses on essential functionalities first. Identify must-have features that directly solve the core problem your MVP targets.
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Shaheer Maqbool
Business-Tech Liaison | Mobile & Web Apps Solutions Specialist
Identify the essential features that are critical for addressing the core problem or need. Prioritize these features based on their impact on the user experience and the value they deliver to customers.
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Gui Rastelli
Product Lifecycle | Product Strategist | Global Product Innovation SME | Agile & SAFe Certified | Product Design | Experiential Marketing | CX SME | Data Driven | Product Management | Cross-Functional Product Leader
Prioritize features based on their importance and impact on solving the core problem or addressing the primary user need. Identify the essential features that deliver the most value and can be developed within time and resources. Avoid trying to include every possible feature in the initial release and focus on what is necessary to validate your product concept.
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Marcelo Freitas
Product Manager | Offshore Sr. Certified Product Owner | Business Planning & Prioritization | UX Data Driven | Customer Success | Financial & Professional Services | Insurance | Agile Transformation Agent
When objectives are not clear, consider the following (generic) drivers: - growth (generally revenue) - business sustainabiilty (eg. duplicate customer without duplicating costs) - UX excellence (quality is not negotiable) - innovation and leading edge (try explorining 'blue ocean' if possible) - people driven / training (at the end, it's people doing stuff for people)
Setting clear boundaries is essential for maintaining focus on what's truly important for your MVP. This means having strict criteria for what makes it into the initial release. If a feature doesn't directly contribute to the core functionality or isn't necessary to test the main hypothesis, it should be set aside for future updates. Establishing these boundaries helps to keep the project within scope and on track for a timely release.
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Aminata THERA
🏆 Top Voice LinkedIn I 📈 On accélère la croissance de ton entreprise | +150 entreprises accompagnées 🚀
Fixer des limites claires est crucial pour un MVP efficace. - Définissez des critères stricts pour les fonctionnalités initiales. - Excluez tout ce qui n'est pas fondamental ou testable. - Concentrez-vous sur l'hypothèse principale à valider. - Évitez les ajouts superflus qui diluent l'objectif. - Maintenez le projet dans un périmètre défini. - Priorisez la fonctionnalité de base pour un lancement rapide. - Réservez les améliorations pour les mises à jour futures. - Assurez une publication en temps opportun sans surcharge. - Gardez l'équipe concentrée sur l'essentiel. - Évaluez chaque ajout pour son impact réel.
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Zabe Siddique
Transforming Businesses with Strategic ERP Solutions | 💡 ERP Industry Pioneer, 300+ businesses transformed💡 | NetSuite Partner | Aussie in the USA | Devoted Dad & Australian Rules Football Fan 🏈
Use analytics, user feedback, and market research to identify and prioritize features that align most closely with user needs and preferences.
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Marcelo Freitas
Product Manager | Offshore Sr. Certified Product Owner | Business Planning & Prioritization | UX Data Driven | Customer Success | Financial & Professional Services | Insurance | Agile Transformation Agent
learn WHAT TO SAY NO TO... we tend to include as much stuff as possible, and also, we constantly act as 'service-driven' or 'product-driven', and not necessarily 'customer-driven'. So an exercise to think WHAT WE ARE NOT GOING TO DO is usually healthy!
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Aakash Jaiswal
Working since 16 years old | Problem-Solver | Idea factory | Startup | Ex-agency owner | Brand Building | Researcher | Outsourcing | Record Retrieval & Revenue Cycle Management | Gambler | Crypto
Establish strict criteria for what makes it into the initial release. Features should directly contribute to core functionality or test the main hypothesis, keeping the project within scope and on schedule.
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Shaheer Maqbool
Business-Tech Liaison | Mobile & Web Apps Solutions Specialist
Establish clear boundaries for your MVP to prevent scope creep. Define what features and functionalities are out of scope for the initial release. Stay disciplined and resist the temptation to add unnecessary bells and whistles.
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Gui Rastelli
Product Lifecycle | Product Strategist | Global Product Innovation SME | Agile & SAFe Certified | Product Design | Experiential Marketing | CX SME | Data Driven | Product Management | Cross-Functional Product Leader
Define clear boundaries around what is included in the MVP and what is not. This helps prevent feature creep and ensures that the scope remains manageable. Establish criteria for feature inclusion and make deliberate decisions about what features to exclude or postpone for future iterations.
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Julio Ramirez
Senior Strategic Business Developer
To maintain focus on your MVP's core functionality, establish clear boundaries for feature inclusion. Define strict criteria: if a feature doesn't directly contribute to the core functionality or hypothesis testing, postpone it for future updates.
Validating assumptions early and often can save you from overbuilding your MVP. Engage with potential users to understand their pain points and validate whether your proposed solution meets their needs. This direct feedback can help refine your feature set to what's absolutely necessary. By doing this, you ensure that every feature included in your MVP has a clear purpose backed by user validation.
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Aminata THERA
🏆 Top Voice LinkedIn I 📈 On accélère la croissance de ton entreprise | +150 entreprises accompagnées 🚀
Valider les hypothèses tôt et souvent est crucial pour éviter la surconstruction. - Engagez les utilisateurs potentiels dès le début. - Comprenez leurs points faibles et besoins réels. - Utilisez leurs retours pour affiner les fonctionnalités. - Chaque fonctionnalité doit avoir un objectif validé. - Testez rapidement pour ajuster en fonction des retours. - Évitez d’ajouter des fonctionnalités non validées. - Assurez-vous que chaque ajout est indispensable. - Priorisez les besoins utilisateur pour guider le développement. - Validez régulièrement pour rester aligné avec le marché. - Affinez continuellement pour maintenir le focus sur l'essentiel.
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Olivia Xiaodan Meng
Growth, augmented reality @ Meta | driving consumer product success
Minimize MVP over-scoping by focusing on key user values. This could mean prioritizing high potential use cases that directly address the core problems and needs of the target audience. These high-potential use cases should align with top business goals, or directly impacting KPIs.
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Sheraz Ahmed
Business Development Manager | Lead Generation Specialist | Email Marketing Pro | Inside Sales Specialist | Business Development Executive | Upwork Bidding Master | Sales Development Representative | BD Consultant
Validating assumptions early and continuously with potential users is key to preventing MVP overbuilding. Direct feedback ensures that each feature in your MVP serves a clear purpose validated by user needs.
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Aakash Jaiswal
Working since 16 years old | Problem-Solver | Idea factory | Startup | Ex-agency owner | Brand Building | Researcher | Outsourcing | Record Retrieval & Revenue Cycle Management | Gambler | Crypto
Engage with potential users early to validate assumptions and refine the feature set. Direct feedback ensures that every feature in your MVP serves a clear purpose validated
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Shaheer Maqbool
Business-Tech Liaison | Mobile & Web Apps Solutions Specialist
Test your assumptions early and often to validate the viability of your MVP. Gather feedback from potential users through surveys, interviews, or prototype testing. Use data and insights to refine your product concept and ensure that it aligns with customer needs.
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Gui Rastelli
Product Lifecycle | Product Strategist | Global Product Innovation SME | Agile & SAFe Certified | Product Design | Experiential Marketing | CX SME | Data Driven | Product Management | Cross-Functional Product Leader
Identify the key assumptions underlying your product concept and prioritize testing and validation. Gather data and feedback to validate those assumptions instead of assuming what features or functionalities your target users want. This reduces the risk of building unnecessary or unwanted features and allows you to make informed decisions about what to include in the MVP.
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Julio Ramirez
Senior Strategic Business Developer
To avoid overbuilding your MVP, validate assumptions regularly. Engage potential users to understand their pain points and confirm if your solution meets their needs.
Embracing iteration is a mindset that can prevent over-scoping. Your MVP is not the final product; it's a starting point for learning and growth. By accepting that your initial release will not be perfect, you can focus on getting a functional product to market quickly. This approach allows you to collect valuable user feedback that will inform subsequent iterations, rather than trying to perfect every aspect from the start.
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Aminata THERA
🏆 Top Voice LinkedIn I 📈 On accélère la croissance de ton entreprise | +150 entreprises accompagnées 🚀
Adoptez l'itération pour éviter de surdimensionner votre MVP. - Considérez le MVP comme un point de départ. - Lancement rapide, apprentissage constant, croissance continue. - Acceptez l'imperfection initiale pour accélérer le lancement. - Recueillez des retours utilisateurs dès le début. - Ajustez et améliorez en fonction des retours reçus. - Chaque itération doit se baser sur des données réelles. - Priorisez les ajustements basés sur les besoins utilisateur. - Évitez de perfectionner tout dès le début. - Itérez rapidement pour rester pertinent et agile. - Laissez les retours guider vos futures améliorations.
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Shaheer Maqbool
Business-Tech Liaison | Mobile & Web Apps Solutions Specialist
Embrace a mindset of continuous improvement and iteration. Launch your MVP quickly to gather real-world feedback and insights. Use this feedback to iterate on your product, refining features, and addressing pain points iteratively.
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Gui Rastelli
Product Lifecycle | Product Strategist | Global Product Innovation SME | Agile & SAFe Certified | Product Design | Experiential Marketing | CX SME | Data Driven | Product Management | Cross-Functional Product Leader
Embrace the iterative nature of product development. Recognize that the MVP is not the final product but a starting point for learning and iteration. Plan for regular feedback loops and iterations based on user feedback, market insights, and data analysis. Iterative development allows you to refine and expand the product based on real-world feedback and keeps you focused on the most valuable features.
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Julio Ramirez
Senior Strategic Business Developer
Embracing iteration prevents over-scoping by acknowledging that your MVP isn't the final product; it's a foundation for learning and improvement.
Seeking feedback throughout the development process is key to avoiding over-scoping. Regularly consult with your target audience, stakeholders, and team members to ensure that the MVP remains aligned with its original goals. This ongoing dialogue can reveal unnecessary features or highlight areas that need more attention, allowing you to adjust your scope accordingly and stay on track.
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Gui Rastelli
Product Lifecycle | Product Strategist | Global Product Innovation SME | Agile & SAFe Certified | Product Design | Experiential Marketing | CX SME | Data Driven | Product Management | Cross-Functional Product Leader
Actively seek feedback from users, stakeholders, and domain experts throughout the development process. Gather insights on their needs, pain points, and priorities. Engage in usability testing, user interviews, and surveys to understand how well your MVP addresses their expectations and requirements. Incorporate this feedback into your product roadmap and adjust the scope accordingly.
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Dr Reji Kurien Thomas
I Empower Sectors as a Global Tech & Business Transformation Leader| Stephen Hawking Award| Harvard Leader| UK House of Lord's Awardee| Fellow Royal SocietyI Data Alchemist| CyberSecI 108x LinkedIn Top Voice| CCISO CISM
Implement feature flags to control which parts of the MVP are accessible to users during the testing phase. This allows for gradual exposure and assessment of features without overwhelming the user or risking stability. During the rollout of a new feature set in a project management application, we used feature flags to selectively introduce changes to different user segments. This controlled rollout allowed us to gather focused feedback and make iterative improvements, effectively managing the scope based on real user data and preventing feature creep.
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Marcelo Freitas
Product Manager | Offshore Sr. Certified Product Owner | Business Planning & Prioritization | UX Data Driven | Customer Success | Financial & Professional Services | Insurance | Agile Transformation Agent
KEEP YOUR BACKLOG AS SHORT AS POSSIBLE !!! Infinite length backlogs lead to NOWHERE ! try combine the ones you thing matters the most and trow the rest in the trash (if they would become important one day, they will certainly arise - probably in a different shape)
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