Mobile applications development: why should you start with building MVP
Minimum viable product (MVP) development has gained huge popularity recently. Focusing on main functions implementation IT companies use MVP as a starting point for running a successful project. Let’s see what MVP means.
A minimum viable solution is a first version of a product with minimum functionality made to complete client’s principal tasks and achieve main goals. Development of only key functions allows customers to optimize expenses and quickly receive a working solution.
Having this product you can test it on the target audience, gather users feedback which gives understanding of how to expand and enhance it in the future. And that’s the point.
Often MVP app is associated with something unfinished. That’s absolutely not the case. A minimum viable product is a off-the-shelf software solution whether that be an application, landing page, or prototype, which solves main tasks.
A client has received a product, goals have been achieved, business processes have been optimized, great! It’s not necessarily to immediately add new features and hurry up to make improvements.
It makes no sense without preparation. At the beginning we measure user reaction and assure everything goes well. Then based on this analysis we develop the product.
MVP in mobile applications development
MVP app development has great significance among mobile applications development approaches. It’s a first app version with the basic functionality of a final product. Let’s consider the MVP concept.
The most important thing is to “delve into” client’s project. To understand requirements and objectives. To define key features an application must have to solve customer’s principal tasks and challenges.
And reject everything you can add later (and if it’s required). For example, if users wish to have some function in the app – a customer will definitely know that makes enhancements right, not mindlessly, according to the target audience preferences.
This approach allows to launch a project faster and save resources avoiding the situations when various functions only interfere with each other thereby breaking application functioning.
Thus, MVP development is carried out according to Build – Measure – Learn principle: first we make a product, then we “test” it on users, collect feedback, and learn what to improve and how. As a result, we create an effective solution exactly for the target audience needs.
MVP app development generally takes about 3 months: first custom mobile app development itself, then goes QA (quality assurance), stabilization, and launch. After the release further app development starts.
MVP development benefits:
1. Saving time and resources for the development process. Firstly, about 3 months for key features implementation, secondly, there is no need to spend great money on marketing and invest it in a very complex project development, which may take a lot of time and efforts while the result wouldn’t be impressive.
2. A guaranteed working solution completing the main tasks. The app will be launched on time as only priority features are developed, not big complex functionality requiring constant stabilization.
3. A successful application that users need and want. We conduct the target audience analysis: wishes, comments, preferences. Based on the research we make enhancements, add new features, expand our product. Thanks to this thoughtful approach we develop an effective solution for users.
MVP app development has great significance, especially for custom mobile app development. For web applications development it’s not so important. The main point of MVP app isn’t only in the development process, but also in what happens next: product enhancement and new functionality implementation.
If for mobile app extension this second step is quite complicated (as a result of all changes we receive a new app version), with web applications development everything is easier: all updates appear automatically (a client-server development implies interaction between client (browser) and server when data exchange is carried out over the Internet, meaning that all changes made by developers become immediately visible for users).
More details about mobile and web applications development you’ll find in our article about their comparison.
MVP development and Lean Startup
A few words about Lean Startup. At the moment it has gained great popularity and become a trend. Many startups use this approach to avoid cumbersome business plans preparation having a lot of assumptions.
Take into consideration everything is simply impossible starting from an unexpected withdrawal of investors and ending with the economic situation in the country. MVP development is the basis of Lean Startup methodology.
Lean Startup has a lot in common with a Just-in-Time principle of the Toyota production system. JiT means that at each stage only necessary for further work details are produced – “only what is needed, when it’s needed, and in the amount needed.” This method eliminates possible losses, saves time and resources.
As we see, mobile applications development with minimum functionality has lots of advantages for customers being an effective solution.
Especially if you need to launch the product as quick as possible. However, you should remember that MVP app development isn’t a panacea for all woes.
If budget and time allow developing something more complex, why not? The main thing is not “to pack” a huge number of functions in one application, producing difficulties, and step by step implement a future product concept.