Market research is an essential step in any business venture. Although an idea might sound phenomenal in theory, testing the existence of demand for that idea is a failsafe that ensures its future success.
For software-based businesses, things stand no different. However, it would be weird to only plaster a product whitepaper across the web and measure the potential demand from that alone. That’s why most software development companies turn to a Minimum Viable Product (or MVP, for short).
- But what is an MVP, exactly?
- What do you need to keep in mind when drafting one?
- And how much does an MVP cost, realistically?
In this article, we will answer all of these questions, providing you with a brief ‘playbook’ of what any tech executive must know about MVPs.
What Is an MVP?
As the name suggests, an MVP is a minimalist version of a software product, which only offers the core functionalities needed for it to be presented on the market. It is part of the Lean Business Methodology approach, and it enables businesses to interact with user feedback as fast and cost-effective as possible.
In developing an MVP, a company must consider the main pain points the product solves. Starting from these aspects, the functionalities that address the pain points are built into the product, along with a minimal user interface and no additional features.
This way, the MVP enables businesses to test whether a concept can generate revenue in the short term, to receive and implement user feedback, and to understand the overall potential of a software product with significantly less investment needed.
How To Develop and Deploy an MVP?
The development of an MVP must start with the core functionalities in mind. That being said, there are multiple other aspects to account for when deciding to go through this route. As a result, most companies also develop a detailed plan that covers this operation.
The plan generally includes the amount of time for which the product is tested, the development process of the MVP itself, the degree of willingness to implement and further test user feedback, and many others.
While planning for MVP deployment, it’s useful to start from the core objective of this test. Does your company want to see if an idea is profitable, without a lot of modification? Or does it have a general concept that it wants to adapt according to feedback? All of these must be taken into account for a successful MVP test.
How Much Does an MVP Cost?
The last consideration in testing a software product is the MVP cost. Although it’s not nearly as much as the cost of developing the entire product, things can still get a bit expensive. The MVP cost generally depends on the scope of the project, its complexity, and the number of features desired.
Still, you should expect to pay somewhere around [abac price] for an average build. The MVP cost can vary up or down, depending on how your project relates to the average requirements.
That being said, we still think it’s one of the best choices available for testing an idea directly on the market. Fully deploying a software application that was not tested before will cost your company much more than these price ranges, and asking for feedback on whitepapers just doesn’t cut it as well.
So, can the MVP cost be a deterrent for startups or limited-budget projects? Yes, most definitely. But do the benefits outweigh the costs? We’d say absolutely, by a large margin.
Did you like our take on incorporating MVPs in your business strategy? We’re glad!
abac software is a startup from Cluj-Napoca, Romania, that aims to help enterprises and other startups with designing the software products of tomorrow. Our team loves to keep up with the latest news in software and web development.
So, if you liked our take, stay tuned for more articles to come soon!