Product teams have been repeating the MVP (Minimum Viable Product) mantra for a decade now, without re-evaluating whether it’s the right way to maximize learning while pleasing the customer.
Well, it’s not the best system. It’s selfish and it hurts customers.
MVPs are too M and almost never V. Customers see that, and hate it. It might be great for the product team, but it’s bad for customers. And ultimately, what’s bad for customers is bad for the company.
Fortunately, there’s a better way to build and validate new products. The insight comes by honoring the useful attributes of MVPs while also giving just as much consideration to the customer’s experience.
In order for the product to be small and delivered quickly, it has to be simple. Customers accept simple products every day. Even if it doesn’t do everything needed, as long as the product never claimed to do more than it does, customers are forgiving.
It is not contradictory for products to be simple as well as complete.
These are the components of the correct alternative to the MVP: Simple, Lovable and Complete (SLC). At WP Engine we pronounce it “Slick.” As in: “What’s the ‘Slick’ version of your idea?”
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