What is an MVP and why do you start with it?

What an MVP is – and what it is not

It is: a version that covers a complete process flow and can be used in daily life. Fewer features, but the ones present work.

It is not: a half-finished version with many functions that all do not work properly. That is not an MVP, but an unfinished product.

An image to illustrate: An MVP is not a half car, but a bicycle. You can use it to get from A to B.

Why it saves money

Experience shows that a significant portion of initially desired features are hardly used in the first year. Which part that is, no one knows beforehand – not even you. An MVP makes it visible within weeks, not after a year.

How to tailor it

Not according to "what is simple", but according to a complete path through the process. Example customer portal:

• In the MVP: log in, create a case, view status
• Later: file attachments, notifications, reports, roles, bulk processing

The first part is usable in daily life. An "MVP" where you can log in but cannot do anything is not one.

The most common mistake

Treating the MVP as a disposable version. It is the foundation on which further development is built – therefore the same requirements apply to code quality, tests, and security as later.