Minimum Viable Product (MVP)

Alright team, Muzukuke! Still going strong here at KAWA! We’ve covered a lot – understanding your users, planning your business approach, coding basics, and even AI. Now, you’re probably super excited to start building all the amazing features you’ve imagined for your app, right?

Hold on! Linda ko! Before you dive deep into coding everything, let’s talk about a smarter way to start, especially with the ICT Club Competition Deadlines in mind. It’s called building a Minimum Viable Product (MVP).

Lesson Topic: Minimum Viable Product (MVP)

Part 1: What is an MVP? (Start Small, Start Smart!)

Think of a Minimum Viable Product (MVP) as the simplest, most basic version of your app that does just enough to:

1. Solve the CORE problem you identified for your users.
2. Be usable and testable by those users so you can get feedback.

It’s like the lesson example of the alarm clock app for your friend who’s always late. You could add features like weather reports, custom music, wake-up challenges, smart scheduling… BUT, what’s the minimum needed to solve the core problem of waking up on time? A reliable alarm sound at a set time! That’s the MVP.

Ugandan Analogy: Let’s say your app aims to help local farmers sell their produce directly to customers in Jinja town.

• Dream Features: Real-time inventory tracking, delivery scheduling, farmer profiles with ratings, multiple Mobile Money payment options, photo galleries, weather forecasts for farmers… a long list!
• Core Problem: Farmers need a simple way to list what they have, and buyers need a simple way to see it and contact them.
• Possible MVP: An app where registered farmers can post simple text updates (e.g., “Matooke – 5 bunches available – 10,000 UGX each – Call 07XXXXXXXX”) and buyers can browse these posts and see the farmer’s contact number.
  • Is it basic? Yes.
  • Does it solve the core connection problem? Yes.
  • Can you test it with farmers and buyers to get feedback? Yes!

The Big Idea: It’s much better to build one or two core features really well than to build ten features poorly or incompletely.

Part 2: Why Focus on MVP? (The Technovation Reality Check!)

Building an MVP isn’t just a random strategy; it’s crucial, especially for Technovation:

• Limited Time: You only have a few weeks! Trying to build everything is a recipe for an unfinished project.
• Focus on Impact: It forces you to focus on the features that truly solve the user’s main problem.
• Learn Faster: You can get your basic app into users’ hands quickly and get REAL feedback. This feedback is gold – it tells you what’s working, what’s missing, and what to build next (or fix!).
• Avoid Wasted Effort: Imagine spending weeks building a fancy feature nobody actually wanted! MVP helps prevent this by testing the core idea first.

Part 3: Okay, How Do We Choose? (Prioritizing Features)

This is where the hard work of Prioritizing comes in. You need to decide what’s MOST important for the MVP versus what can wait.

Here’s a process your team can follow:

1. Brainstorm Everything: Get all your ideas out! List every single feature you’ve ever thought of for your app. Don’t judge yet, just list them.
2. Filter with Core Questions: Now, look critically at each feature on your list. Ask:
   • Does this DIRECTLY solve the main problem in our Problem Statement? (Go back and read your statement from Unit 2!).
   • Is this something our users specifically asked for or struggled with during our User Research? (Review your interview notes and survey results from Unit 3!).
   • Can the app function and achieve its main purpose without this feature for the first version? Be honest!
3. Review Your Research: Double-check alignment with your Problem Statement and User Research findings. The features users valued most should probably be higher priority.
4. Quick User Check (Optional but Good!): If you can, ask 1-2 potential users: “If our app could only do TWO things perfectly to help you with [problem], what would they be?” Their answers can be very revealing!
5. Select Your MVP Features: Choose the top 2-3 features that pass the filter questions and are absolutely essential. This is your MVP scope!
6. Create the “Future Features” List: All the other great ideas? Don’t throw them away! Put them on a separate list called “Future Features.” These are things you might add after your MVP is built, tested, and successful.

Part 4: Let’s Plan Your MVP! (Activity – 30 mins)

Time to apply this to YOUR project!

Your Goal: As a team, decide on the 2-3 core features that will make up your Minimum Viable Product.

Tool: Use the MVP Planning Worksheet provided in the lesson. (Make a copy so you can edit it).

Process:

1. Open the worksheet.
2. Follow its steps:
   • Brainstorm your full feature list.
   • Break down any big features into smaller, specific parts (e.g., “User Account” becomes “Sign Up”, “Login”, “View Profile”, “Edit Profile”).
   • Prioritize using the core questions and your research. Discuss as a team!
   • Clearly identify your MVP Features (the top 2-3).
   • List the remaining ideas as Future Features.

Teamwork is Key: You might have different opinions on what’s most important. Discuss, compromise, and focus on the evidence from your research and problem statement.

Part 5: It’s a Journey, Not a Destination (Reflection)

Remember, the MVP you plan today is just Version 1. It’s designed to be built upon. You’ll get feedback, iterate, fix bugs, and then start adding those Future Features. That’s how successful apps are built!

Let’s reflect on the planning process:

• Was it difficult for your team to prioritize? Why or why not? Did different team members have strong attachments to different features?
• How did you handle compromise? Did you have to let go of a personally exciting feature because it wasn’t essential for solving the core problem right now?
• User Feedback Check: Have you considered showing your prioritized list of MVP features to a potential user and asking, “Does this sound like it would solve your main problem?” This can be a valuable check before you start coding!

Part 6: Quick Review (Key Terms)

• Prioritizing: Deciding which features are most important and need to be built first.
• Minimum Viable Product (MVP): The simplest version of your app with just enough features to solve the core user problem and allow for testing and feedback.
• Future Features: Cool ideas and functionalities saved for later versions, after the MVP is successful.

Part 7: Learn More

Want to dive deeper into MVPs?

• Check out the article linked in the lesson.
• Watch the short video clip featuring past Technovation participants sharing how they decided on their MVP.

Conclusion

Webale nnyo! Planning your MVP is a mature and strategic step in your app development journey. It might feel like you’re cutting features, but you’re actually focusing your energy to create something impactful and achievable within the Technovation timeline. A working, focused MVP is far more impressive than an ambitious but unfinished app.

Your Task Now: Get together as a team and diligently complete the MVP Planning Worksheet. This plan will be your guide as you move into the main coding phase.

Build smart, start focused! Mubeere bulungi! (Be well!)