MVP or minimum viable product is a test of a hypothesis about the value of a product to the user. MVP allows you to quickly and cost-effectively test an idea to see if the market needs such a product.
MVP testing is extremely important for startups and companies that want to release an innovative product. According to statistics, about 80% of startups fail because they don’t test their ideas enough.
In this article, we will take a closer look at what MVP testing is, why it is important, and how to plan and execute it properly. We will also look at how to analyze the results and apply them to further product development.
By following the advice in this guide, you will be able to quickly test the viability of your idea and save time and money on the full development of an unclaimed product.
What is MVP Testing and Why is it Important?
MVP testing is the process of validating a product idea by creating a minimum viable product (MVP) and testing it with real users. The goal is to gather feedback and data to determine if the product solves a real problem and provides value to customers before investing significant time and money in full development.
An MVP is a stripped-down version of a product with just enough core functionality to be usable by early adopters. For a mobile app, it might be basic workflows and a minimal UI. For a physical product, it could be a prototype. The key is to build something that elicits user feedback with the least amount of upfront time and effort.
MVP testing provides several key benefits:
- Validates product-market fit. By putting an early version in front of users, you can understand whether the product delivers value and meets customer needs better than existing alternatives. Saves money and effort compared to building a full-featured product up front that users may not want.
- Gets user feedback to inform design. Direct user feedback on an MVP identifies confusing interfaces, missing features, bugs, and desired enhancements that can be addressed in later design iterations.
- Demonstrates proof of concept. An MVP can demonstrate enough technical viability and customer interest to secure investment capital and internal stakeholder support for further development.
Focuses go-to-market efforts. Usage metrics and feedback from a pre-launch MVP indicate which features and messaging will be most effective for go-to-market activities.
MVP testing is critical because new product failure rates remain high despite extensive concept testing and analysis. Real-world user behavior is difficult to accurately predict. MVP testing provides an opportunity for validated learning to reduce risk and optimize the chances of success post-release. Overall, it enables a product to be brought to market faster by jumping to real user engagement as early in the design process as possible.
How to Plan and Prepare for MVP Testing
MVP testing is an important step in product development that requires careful preparation. To get the most out of MVP testing, consider the following planning and preparation steps:
- Define test objectives. At this stage, it is important to clearly articulate what exactly you want to test with the MVP: whether you want to confirm a hypothesis about the need for the product, assess the demand for certain features, gather feedback for product refinement, and so on. This will help structure the next steps.
- Choose the target audience for testing. It is best to test the MVP with the audience the product is initially intended for. This will help you get relevant feedback.
- Develop test scenarios. It is necessary to describe the main tasks to be performed by the test participants to evaluate the MVP’s performance and usefulness. These will be case studies to test your hypotheses.
- Prepare the necessary materials for the participants, such as instructions on how to work with the MVP, questionnaires, and feedback forms where they can leave feedback.
- Define the KPIs and metrics that will be used to evaluate the results of the MVP testing. This will provide specific and measurable data.
- Select tools to collect and analyze data from the tests. For example, Web analytics services, programs for working with qualitative feedback, and so on.
Careful preparation for testing will maximize the use of the MVP to validate hypotheses and gather user insights for product development.
Putting MVP Testing into Action
MVP testing is an iterative process that usually follows 3 key phases: planning and preparation, product development and deployment, testing and analysis.
Phase 1: Planning and Preparation
The first step is to define your goals, objectives, and success metrics for MVP testing:
- Goals: What hypotheses do you want to validate-product-market fit, feature priority, pricing, etc.? This will focus your efforts.
- Audience: Who will be included in the test – target customers or a proxy group? A more representative sample will yield better insights.
- Use cases: What workflows or tasks will the testers perform to evaluate the MVP? These will become your test scripts.
- Metrics: What data points and KPIs determine whether goals are being met? Examples: conversion rate, task completion rate.
With goals established, create simple MVP scopes and test scripts for your users:
- MVP scope: Outline the minimum feature set, content, branding, and technology required to facilitate testing.
- Test protocols: User instructions, survey questions, feedback forms, etc. to collect quantitative and qualitative data.
Phase 2: Development and Deployment
With planning complete, build and deploy your MVP for the test:
- MVP build: Leverage existing solutions where possible for quick build – templates, no-code platforms, and reference apps. Keep to a minimal scope.
- Test setup: Prepare the environment to deliver MVP and capture test data. Options: closed demo links, beta app distribution, mocked purchase flows.
- User onboarding: Supply testers with context, instructions, and access credentials. Compensate them for time if possible.
Phase 3: Testing and Analysis
Run tests during a predefined window:
- Facilitate testing: Keep testers informed, share reminders, and provide support to optimize participation.
- Monitor testing: Review platform analytics to ensure intended use, and catch problems early.
- Collect feedback: Collect quantitative data on usage and metrics according to your plan. Gather qualitative feedback through surveys and interviews.
Finally, evaluate results against success metrics and identify key learnings to support the next steps. Share results with all stakeholders and teams to agree on implications.
In summary, follow the scaffold of plan, build, test, and learn to implement an effective and valuable MVP testing program.
How to Analyze and Apply Your MVP Testing Results?
Once you have the results of MVP testing, it is crucial to analyze them correctly to draw the right conclusions for further work on the product. Here are the main steps of such an analysis:
- Structure the collected data. Separate the results into quantitative (product usage metrics, conversions) and qualitative (user opinions, feedback).
- Compare the results to the goals and KPIs (key performance indicators) outlined at the beginning of the testing. Understand which hypotheses were validated and which were not.
- Identify product shortcomings and opportunities for improvement. Analyze what worked well and where users encountered difficulties.
- Identify development priorities. Taking into account points 2 and 3, understand which hypotheses, features, and functions of the product need deep refinement before a full launch.
- Capture the lessons learned in a document. Formalizing the results of the analysis will allow the team to use these insights repeatedly.
Successful MVP testing is just the first step. Properly analyzing and applying the results is critical to making the right decisions for the product and the company as a whole. This will greatly increase the chances of post-launch success.
Conclusion
MVP testing is essential for identifying defects and opportunities early and optimizing product investments. It quickly validates product-market fit and can reveal gaps between your vision and real user preferences. MVP testing is not just for startups – it can benefit companies of all sizes by reducing risk and increasing the likelihood of success with every product launch.
Following a step-by-step process for planning, building, testing, and then analyzing your MVP test will help ensure valuable results. Document your assumptions, aim for both quantitative and qualitative insights, and compare results directly to your original success metrics. Be sure to apply what you learn to your product development roadmap.
Iterate quickly and test ideas often and as early as possible. By putting real solutions in front of target users, you gain the evidence you need to make informed decisions and build products people want. Make MVP testing part of your company culture and create a faster, better path to innovation.