1. Wait, wait, what is MVP?

MVP stands for minimum viable product ( MVP -. English minimum Viable product product ), the concept is used to test business ideas. The idea behind MVP is to pack the key functionality into some simple (and, what is important, nice) product version, and then test it on the market. The main goal of this stage is to collect the first feedback.

Let's say you've decided to launch the MVP of an online vegan wedding cake store. To test the idea and work out the recipe, you need to create the first prototype - an ordinary cake, without figures of the groom and the bride and 5 tiers. The dough is the basic component, if it is not tasty, no frosting and lace from the cream will save the situation. This is why it is important to test the “basic” version first and get some feedback.

2. I want the highest quality feedback! About User Story Mapping and MoSCoW

How to determine the functionality for the minimum viable product? This is always a big question. It is necessary to find a balance between "minimal" and "useful", while not forgetting about quality. We've chosen two tactics to make it easier for your MVP to select features.

User Story Mapping is a method that recreates the user's MVP "path" . Thanks to User Story Mapping, you can track all the interaction options with the product, from the first launch to the targeted action (for example, a purchase).

The technique consists of 5 steps:

1. Define a goal . Answer the question "Why am I doing this?" The answer should be short, no more than one sentence. For example, the goal of our wedding cake startup is to create an online dessert shop with vegan dough, delicious toppings and fast contactless delivery.
2. Think about the user route for your MVP . Where will he push? Which sections to open? What are the steps to take? At this stage, it is important to put yourself in the user's shoes and think over all possible scenarios. For example, to buy a cake in our application, a user goes through 5 stages: viewing, providing an address and delivery instructions, order management, payment and delivery.
3. Write down the functions for each step. For example, in order to select a cake in the application, you will need a catalog of wedding baked goods, with different creams and sprinkles, as well as a search bar, a settings page and with best sellers (for those who cannot decide), etc. You will need different payment options to pay: debit / credit card, Apple Pay, Google Pay, or PayPal. All this must be written down and thought over, a lot may not be included in the first release, however, in subsequent versions of the product, these options may be very useful.
4. Arrange the functions in descending order from “ MVP cannot be released without this” to “you can start like this”. The main ranking criteria are how much this or that feature will help in achieving the target action. For example, for the same application with cakes, the choice of "the same" table decoration will not be possible without a catalog and a search bar. But the bestseller page can be added later.
5. Collect MVP. The first version will include high-priority features - something without which you definitely won't be able to bring the product to release.

User Story Mapping is not a panacea. An alternative is the MoSCoW prioritization method. There is no reference to native (and non-rubber) Moscow here. This is an acronym for prioritized functionality - anything that may (or may not) end up in your MVP anyway.

To separate the important from the “wanted”, you and your team agree on the selection criteria - benefits for customers, complexity of implementation, cost of implementation. All this is very important to find out on the shore.

Now let's go over the categories that MoSCoW offers us:

3. Let's summarize

While you were reading this article, about 126 startups have closed in the world. Don't let your idea fail! We strongly recommend that you treat your MVP responsibly - testing the product and analyzing user feedback. User Story Mapping and MoSCoW will help prioritize and simplify the process of selecting features for a future startup.