Question 1

What is a Minimum Viable Product?

Accepted Answer

The smallest usable version of a product, built specifically to generate real customer feedback and validated learning before a larger investment.

Question 2

Who coined the term "Minimum Viable Product"?

Accepted Answer

Frank Robinson, CEO of SyncDev, coined the term in 2001, describing it as the product that maximizes return on risk for both vendor and customer.

Question 3

Who popularized the MVP concept?

Accepted Answer

Eric Ries popularized it widely in his 2011 book "The Lean Startup," building it into the Build-Measure-Learn feedback loop.

Question 4

What is the Build-Measure-Learn loop?

Accepted Answer

A continuous cycle where teams build a small testable solution, measure real customer behavior, and use that evidence to decide whether to persevere, adjust, or pivot.

Question 5

Is an MVP the same as a prototype?

Accepted Answer

No. A prototype is often not fully functional or usable by real customers; an MVP is a genuinely usable, complete slice of the product.

Question 6

What's the difference between an MVP and an MMP?

Accepted Answer

An MVP is built to validate learning; a Minimum Marketable Product (MMP) adds the polish and completeness needed to actually sell it in the market.

Question 7

Does "minimum" mean the MVP should be low quality?

Accepted Answer

No. An MVP still needs to work well enough to produce a trustworthy signal from real users. Quality and quantity of features are different things.

Question 8

What's the most common mistake teams make with MVPs?

Accepted Answer

Building first and validating later, the exact trap the MVP concept exists to prevent.

Question 9

Can established companies use the MVP approach, not just startups?

Accepted Answer

Yes. Product Managers at established companies commonly use MVPs to validate new features or product lines before committing larger engineering resources.

Question 10

Where can I learn the practical steps and types of MVPs?

Accepted Answer

ProductSpace's complete MVP guide covers Concierge, Wizard of Oz, and Fake Door MVP types along with a full step-by-step build process.

What Is a Minimum Viable Product (MVP)?

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Q1: Who coined the term "Minimum Viable Product"?

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