CookieDev

Stages before MVP is born

5 min to read

Many startupers facing a pretty complicated question - "What can do done with 0 investments before launching MVP?" Now we'll try to answer this one and clarify the main steps of developing your MVP. So, the most common stages of getting to your minimum viable product are the following:

Wireframe

Creating a wireframe does not require a lot of costs and time, so it's the most affordable step before getting to a minimum viable product. There are no designs and colors here, just a roughly built scheme of screen layouts, navigation system, and the core features of a future product. Wireframes are made to demonstrate a user flow, the main purpose of the product, and its functions. They usually do not look very attractive or realistic, but they allow people to visualize a product by delivering the right message to them.

Mockup

Mockups are like wireframes but more alive. They look more realistic and resemble your final product to a greater extent. The features, navigation, design, and even colors reflect the future product. You can also build an interactive mockup to show your app features in action. Creating a mockup is a great way to define the user flow and improve it before the first line of code is even written.

Explainer video

If you feel that it is too complicated to actually build an MVP to show the target audience the product features and user flow, you can just create a video. It may look way too simple, but there are cases when explainer videos paved the way to success.

For instance, the product development of Dropbox was supposed to be big and costly. So, instead of putting a great deal of time, effort, and money into it without being sure how it will end, the Dropbox team made a short explainer video for the investors, showing the main idea of the project, its key features, and advantages. As a result, Dropbox was more than just seen; it got funding and proved that visualization is powerful when used properly.

If you share your video on social media, chances are you'll get first adopters of a product before the development team even starts working on it.

Landing page

Creating a landing page is also a great idea if you want to build a successful product. It is a relatively simple and pretty cheap way to get user feedback about your idea. With a landing page, you can present your project to the public, emphasizing its key elements and benefits and attracting your first customers. It is an affordable way to demonstrate your product, get users' feedback, and attract investors.

Prototype

Prototypes are supposed to show the feasibility of the projects. It is a rapidly built version of a product with only basic features and functions. It takes some time and money to create a prototype, but it can bring many valuable results. In comparison with the other options we mentioned, a prototype is the most realistic type of an MVP. Prototypes allow users to experience the product, so the team can gather valuable user feedback.

Do not hold in mind your idea - book a strategy session with our BA and get your MVP in no time!

https://calendly.com/cookiedev/30-min

Volodymyr Andrushenko
Co-founder, Business Development Manager at CookieDev
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