A Real-Life Example of Minimum Viable Product (MVP)
The Jaw-Dropping Coffee Milk Container Innovation
I recently paid a visit to our office in Lodz, Poland, and I stumbled upon something quite remarkable:
The ingenuity behind this solution left me both shocked and amazed. It instantly struck me that this is perhaps the best Minimum Viable Product (MVP) I’ve ever encountered! But then again, considering our team of brilliant engineers in the Polish office, maybe I shouldn’t have been so surprised.
This milk-straw-container exemplifies several key principles of the MVP approach:
1. Validation over Solution
One of the fundamental principles of the MVP approach is to validate assumptions rather than rushing to implement a solution for an existing problem. With this milk-straw-container MVP, it serves as a means to validate the assumption that the straw can effectively deliver milk, regardless of the milk container used. This assumes that everyone in the office has a need for warm milk and cream in their coffee. So, there is no value risk. The person behind this idea aims to validate both the usability and feasibility of this concept.
However, if you were the product manager responsible for the coffee machine, your objective would be to determine whether this feature adds value for existing users. In essence, your validation efforts would revolve around assessing the value risk. You are investigating whether the existing coffee-machine users prefer the convenience of having a separate milk container that automatically dispenses milk into their coffee, eliminating the need for manual pouring.
2. Prototype over Product
Although MVP stands for Minimum Viable Product, it should be viewed more as a prototype. Perfection is not the primary objective here; it’s about creating something that can validate a concept. In some cases, you may not need to consider all possible edge cases for your MVP, especially if they extend beyond the problem you intend to validate. For instance, if you are validating the value risk, you might prioritise addressing usability concerns once the need is confirmed.
3. Minimum Viable
Many individuals tend to focus too much on the viable aspect of MVP and forget about the minimum part. When you start adding additional features, you might lose sight of the original validation goal. Questions about milk spoilage, cleaning, or potential bugs entering the milk box can arise, shifting your mindset towards building a full-fledged product rather than a minimal solution. To maintain the MVP spirit, it’s crucial to stick to the core assumptions you want to validate. As your initial assumptions are validated, you can gradually address other aspects and work on mitigating all four risks: value, usability, feasibility, and viability.
Ultimately, you may evolve from a simple prototype like the milk-straw-container to a more advanced device, such as the coffee machine with a real milk container that we have at our Finnish office.
This progression exemplifies the iterative nature of MVP and how it contributes to product development.
