MVP Builder
Ship MVPs in 1-2 weeks, not months.
Core Principle
Start with the smallest thing that proves/disproves your riskiest assumption.
MVP = Minimum Viable Product, not Minimum Pretty Product.
MVP Feature Matrix
Categorize every feature idea using this matrix:
| Category | Definition | Action |
|---|---|---|
| P0 | Must have for core value proposition | Build now |
| P1 | Important but can wait for v1.1 | Ship after validation |
| P2 | Nice to have, delight features | Ship v2+ |
| Out of Scope | Not needed for validation | Defer indefinitely |
Example: Task Management MVP
P0 (Week 1):
- Create task with title/description
- Mark task complete
- View task list
- Basic authentication
P1 (Post-validation):
- Due dates, priorities, reminders
P2 (Future):
- Team collaboration, file attachments, mobile app
Out of Scope:
- Gantt charts, time tracking, integrations
5 MVP Patterns
1. Concierge MVP
Definition: Manually deliver the service before building automation
When to use: Core value is service delivery, not technology
Examples:
- Food delivery → Take orders via WhatsApp, deliver yourself
- AI copywriter → Manually write copy for customers
- Scheduling tool → Coordinate meetings via email
Time: 1-3 days | Validates: People want the service
2. Wizard of Oz MVP
Definition: Interface looks automated, but humans operate it behind the scenes
When to use: Automation is expensive/complex to build
Examples:
- Zapier early days → Manually created integrations
- AI chatbot → Human answers, customer thinks it's AI
Time: 1 week | Validates: Users engage with interface
3. Landing Page MVP
Definition: Explain the product + collect emails (no product yet)
When to use: Testing demand before building anything
Examples:
- Dropbox → Video showing concept
- Buffer → Landing page before code existed
Time: 1-2 days | Validates: People sign up for waitlist
4. Single-Feature MVP
Definition: One feature that solves one problem
When to use: One feature delivers 80% of value
Examples:
- Twitter → Just post 140-character updates
- Instagram → Just share photos with filters
- Stripe → Just accept credit card payments
Time: 1-2 weeks | Validates: People use the core feature
5. Piecemeal MVP
Definition: Combine existing tools instead of building custom
When to use: You can cobble together a solution with existing tools
Examples:
- Typeform + Airtable + Zapier + Stripe
- No-code tools: Webflow, Bubble, Retool
Time: 2-5 days | Validates: Workflow works end-to-end
Tech Stack Decision Tree
Is this a web app?
├─ YES
│ ├─ Need real-time?
│ │ ├─ YES → Next.js + Supabase + WebSockets
│ │ └─ NO → Remix + PostgreSQL
│ └─ Simple CRUD? → Supabase + React
└─ NO
├─ Mobile app? → React Native + Expo
├─ API only? → Express + PostgreSQL
├─ Chrome extension? → Vanilla JS + Chrome APIs
└─ CLI tool? → Node.js or PythonRecommended MVP Stack:
- Frontend: React + Vite or Next.js
- Backend: Supabase (Postgres + Auth + Storage) or Express.js
- Styling: Tailwind CSS + shadcn/ui
- Hosting: Vercel/Netlify (frontend) + Railway/Fly.io (backend)
- Auth: Clerk or Supabase Auth
- Payments: Stripe Checkout
Speed-Focused Tools:
- Supabase (backend in 10 min)
- Vercel v0 (UI generation)
- Clerk (auth in 5 min)
- Stripe Checkout (payments in 20 min)
Anti-Patterns to Avoid
❌ Building features "just in case" → Build when 3+ users request ❌ Perfect design before launch → Ship functional, ugly is fine ❌ Over-engineering architecture → Monolith is fine for MVP ❌ Custom authentication → Use Clerk, Auth0, or Supabase Auth ❌ Building admin panel first → Use database GUI (Retool/Supabase) ❌ Mobile app before web → Web first, always ❌ Scaling for 1M users → Build for 10 users, scale when needed
MVP Quality Standards
Must Have ✅
- Core feature works end-to-end
- Basic auth (login/signup)
- Deploys without crashing
- Mobile-responsive (doesn't need to be beautiful)
- Basic error handling
Can Skip ⏸️
- Perfect UI/UX
- Email notifications
- Advanced features
- Analytics dashboard
- Error monitoring (add after validation)
- Tests (add after product-market fit)
Build Process
Week 1: Build Core Feature
Days 1-2: Design + Setup
- Sketch 3 screens (paper/Figma)
- Set up repo + database (3-5 tables max)
- Deploy infrastructure
Days 3-4: Build
- Authentication (use library, don't build)
- Core feature (1 user flow only)
- Basic UI (use component library)
Day 5: Polish + Deploy
- Fix critical bugs
- Deploy to production
- Share with 5 friends for feedback
Week 2: Validate
Days 1-2: Iterate
- Fix issues from Week 1 feedback
- Add 1-2 critical missing features
Days 3-4: Get Users
- Share on social media
- Post in relevant communities
- Email 20 people personally
Day 5: Analyze & Decide
- Did 10+ people sign up?
- Did 3+ people use it 3+ times?
- Are 1-2 people willing to pay?
Decision Point:
- ✅ Yes to above → Build P1 features
- ❌ No → Pivot or kill project
Launch Checklist
Pre-Launch (1 hour):
- Core user flow works end-to-end
- Sign up + login works
- Deployed with HTTPS
- Privacy policy + ToS (use generator)
Launch Day:
- Post on Twitter/LinkedIn with screenshot
- Share in 3-5 relevant communities
- Email 20 people personally
Week 1 Post-Launch:
- Reply to every piece of feedback
- Fix critical bugs within 24 hours
- User interview with 3-5 early users
Success Metrics
MVP validation criteria:
- 10+ signups in first week
- 3+ people use it 3+ times
- 1-2 people willing to pay
If you hit these: You might have something. Build P1 features.
If you don't: Pivot or move on. Don't invest months in something nobody wants.
Real MVP Examples
Successful minimal starts:
- Airbnb: Photos of their apartment + PayPal link
- Stripe: Just a form to collect card details
- Dropbox: Video demo before building product
- Uber: iPhone app in San Francisco only
- Facebook: Harvard students only, basic profiles
All started much smaller than you think.
Related Resources
Related Skills:
product-strategist- For validating product-market fitfrontend-builder- For building the UIapi-designer- For backend API designdeployment-advisor- For deployment decisionsgo-to-market-planner- For launch strategy
Related Patterns:
META/DECISION-FRAMEWORK.md- Platform selection decision tree
Related Playbooks:
PLAYBOOKS/build-mvp.md- Step-by-step MVP build procedure (when created)
Quick Reference
For experienced users:
- Identify riskiest assumption
- Choose MVP pattern (Concierge/Wizard/Landing/Single-Feature/Piecemeal)
- Categorize features (P0/P1/P2/Out of Scope)
- Build P0 only (1-2 weeks max)
- Ship ugly but functional
- Validate with 10+ users
- Decide: build P1 or pivot