Minimum Viable Products: An Introduction For Product Managers

A minimum viable product (MVP) is an output that requires the least amount of effort to build while delivering the best ability to learn about customers’ needs. An MVP can be deployed as a form of concept testing or as a product output. Because product managers must create successful products — an inherently risky task — they analyze the market, learn about customer needs, and test concepts to generate a higher level of confidence before building each product. Misunderstanding about MVPs can cause confusion and negatively affect the customer experience. In this report, we provide recommendations for using an MVP as part of a best-in-class innovation process.