How to Create an MVP in Software Development

In 2024, for a startup founder, the one thing to aim for is very simple: getting your product into the market, fast. That's where MVP—Minimum Viable Product comes in. Its goal is quite simple: test that software idea among real users and gather feedback about it, allowing you to pivot right before wasting more time or resources.

Here's exactly how you can create an MVP in some practical steps.

1. Focus on Solving One Problem

Focus on trying to fix one thing. Ensure that your product solves one core problem. Keep things simple. If one's thinking of building a product around cloud technologies, for instance, the cloud architecture review from Yocum Technology Group helps start-ups stay focused on what is important when it comes to launching faster.

2. Talk to Your Audience

Leaps over the guesswork. Interview people who will actually use your product. Determine what features they really need. What's giving them headaches today? You're not building for yourself; you're solving their problems.

We see this all the time in UX/UI design at Yocum Technology Group. The best MVPs are based on solid feedback loops from real users.

3. Sketch Your Idea

Forget all the complicated design tools at the start. Sketch on paper how your product works. What does the user have to do? The clearer you are about the user's journey, the better you will be at keeping the product simple.

4. Ruthlessly Prioritize Features

Be brutal. If a feature isn't critical, cut it. Your MVP should only include the absolute must-have features. At Yocum Technology Group, we guide clients through application modernization, where unnecessary features get left behind.

5. Build It Fast

At this stage, speed is more important than perfection. Use low-code platforms or tools that let you get a functional product out quickly. Many startups use Azure DevOps for building and shipping MVPs at rocket speed.

6. Launch ASAP

You're not done until real people are using your product. It doesn't need to be pretty—just functional. The faster you launch, the quicker you'll know if the idea has legs. Yocum Technology Group uses cloud readiness assessments to help businesses prepare for quick scaling once their MVP hits the market.

7. Iterate Based on Feedback

Do not get into the analysis paralysis. See how people are using your MVP, ask them questions, and do changes while you're going up; you can always do better.

Tim Yocum keeps telling the founders that the success of a MVP is not about how perfect it is, it's about how fast you adapt by user feedback.

In the case of cloud-based products or apps, you will be assured by YTG that you can gather and handle this feedback in real-time, hence make changes quite swiftly without slowing down.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

1. What is an MVP?

An MVP stands for the Minimum Viable Product, which refers to the most basic version of your product which lets you go to market faster, gather actual user feedback, and improve what you learn along the way.

2. Why should I build an MVP?

Building an MVP lets you test your product idea with minimal risk. You avoid wasting time and money on features people don't need while getting real-world insights fast.

3. How long does it take to build an MVP?

Most MVPs can be built in weeks, not months, especially if you focus on the core features. Using services like AzureDevOps can significantly speed up the process.

4. Can I add more features after launching an MVP?

Of course! You should definitely iterate from your MVP. Start adding features based on the real feedback you get from actual users to solve the right problems.

5. How much does it cost to develop an MVP?

It all depends on scope and complexity, but the beauty of an MVP is it's designed to be low cost by cutting down to only what's essential. At Yocum Technology Group, we help drive down the costs by focusing on rapid development and necessary features only.

Ready to Get Started?

We at Yocum Technology Group help startups and entrepreneurs take their concepts from idea to MVP as quickly as humanly possible. When you're designing a cloud-based app, modernizing an existing software product, or starting from a blank slate, our experience will help guide you through it.

Get in touch with us today and let's get planning on your next project and MVP in front of real users fast.

CEO & Co-Founder - Tim Yocum

I lead tooling development that innovates for high productivity and is innovative at YTG. More personally, I'm an avid enthusiast of AI, especially on LLMs, but what we do there really amplifies the focus on automation. That surely improves efficiency manifold and restructures business processes.