Question 1

What is an MVP experiment?

Accepted Answer

An MVP experiment is a minimal but functional version of a product or feature built to test whether customers get enough value to justify further investment. It delivers real value, even if rough or partly manual, so the team can observe actual behavior. Common forms include concierge MVPs, Wizard of Oz MVPs, and single-feature MVPs, all designed to maximize learning while minimizing wasted effort.

Question 2

What is a fake door test?

Accepted Answer

A fake door test measures customer interest by presenting an option or feature that looks available but has not been built yet. When a user clicks, they usually see a "coming soon" message or a waitlist. It captures real intent through behavior rather than opinion, making it one of the cheapest and fastest ways to validate demand before any engineering work begins.

Question 3

How are MVPs different from fake door tests?

Accepted Answer

An MVP experiment delivers real value and tests whether customers actually benefit from a working solution. A fake door test delivers no working feature and tests whether demand exists in the first place. In short, MVPs validate value while fake door tests validate intent. Many teams run a fake door test first to confirm demand, then build an MVP to confirm value.

Question 4

When should PMs use fake door experiments?

Accepted Answer

PMs should use fake door tests when they need to validate demand quickly and cheaply, before committing engineering resources. They are ideal for comparing several feature ideas, sizing an opportunity, or settling internal debates with real intent data. If the main question is "does anyone even want this?" a fake door test is usually the fastest and lowest-cost way to find out.

Question 5

Are fake door tests ethical?

Accepted Answer

Fake door tests are ethical when run responsibly. The key is honesty after the click, such as a clear "coming soon" message, and never taking payment or making firm promises you cannot keep. Handled carelessly, they can erode trust and leave users feeling deceived. Handled with transparency and respect, they are simply a behavioral way of asking users what is worth building.

Question 6

What metrics measure experiment success?

Accepted Answer

For fake door tests, the key metrics are click-through rate, signup rate, and waitlist registrations, which signal intent. For MVP experiments, activation rate, retention, and willingness to pay reveal whether real value is delivered. Conversion rate and customer interviews support both. The right metric depends on your question: use click metrics for demand and value metrics like retention for delivery.

Question 7

Can startups validate ideas without coding?

Accepted Answer

Yes. Many validation methods require little or no code. Fake door tests need only a button or landing page. Concierge and manual service MVPs deliver value by hand. Video MVPs and landing page MVPs test demand with no product at all. These approaches let founders confirm whether an idea has real demand before investing in engineering, saving significant time and money.

Question 8

What alternatives exist to traditional MVPs?

Accepted Answer

Alternatives include fake door tests, landing page experiments, concierge MVPs, Wizard of Oz MVPs, manual service MVPs, and video MVPs. Each tests a different risk at a different cost. Customer interviews and smoke tests also help validate assumptions early. The goal across all of them is the same: learn whether an idea is worth building before committing heavy engineering resources.

What Is an MVP Experiment vs. a Fake Door Test?

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Q1: Which experiment measures customer interest before building a feature?

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