Design Principle #6

Businesses were quick to latch onto the concept of the Minimal Viable Product (MVP), but too often, the phrase is used to cut corners and deliver the cheapest, quickest solution possible. They’re missing the point.

MVP should include MVUX.

A minimally viable user experience is an important part of any MVP, and you can’t forget the “V”. A minimal user experience doesn’t cut it. Too many product managers use the MVP as an excuse to neuter design efforts. They claim that spending time on research, iterative design of UI mockups, or production of prototypes takes too long. They claim that any effort to improve the user interface beyond merely functioning “isn’t MVP.”

The problem with this approach is that you deliver something that, while technically functional, is barely usable and certainly not desirable. It may not even meet the basic needs of the user. And all too often, a development team isn’t given the opportunity to make what are considered to be aesthetic, unnecessary improvements.

When you deliver software that you know is of low quality, you’re trashing your reputation. You are throwing away your customer’s trust. I don’t know that there’s anything more difficult to rebuild than that.