Minimum Viable Product (MVP) Course

Lesson 1 • The Role of Assumptions in Products

Teaches how untested assumptions drive product failure and how surfacing them early is critical. Links assumption mapping directly to MVP scope decisions.

Lesson 2 • What an MVP Actually Is

Defines MVP precisely, contrasting it with prototypes, pilots, and full products. Grounds the chapter by eliminating common misconceptions before deeper concepts are introduced.

Lesson 3 • Defining Success for an MVP

Establishes how success metrics differ between an MVP and a mature product. Students learn to set measurable learning goals before building anything.

Lesson 1 • Identifying Target Customer Segments

Covers segmentation frameworks to pinpoint who experiences the problem most acutely. Accurate segmentation prevents building for a market that does not exist.

Lesson 2 • Secondary Research and Market Signals

Supplements interviews with desk research, trend data, and competitor analysis to confirm problem scale. Teaches students to triangulate qualitative and quantitative signals.

Lesson 3 • Conducting Customer Discovery Interviews

Teaches structured interview techniques that surface genuine pain points without leading respondents. Directly feeds the problem validation work in later sections.

Lesson 4 • Validating the Problem Statement

Synthesises research into a concise, testable problem statement with supporting evidence. A validated problem statement is the prerequisite for all solution work ahead.

Lesson 1 • Evaluating and Selecting Solution Concepts

Applies convergent thinking tools such as impact-effort matrices and dot voting to select the strongest concept. Connects selection criteria back to validated customer pains.

Lesson 2 • Scoping the MVP Feature Set

Applies ruthless prioritisation to reduce the concept to its smallest testable form. Students practice cutting features without losing the core value hypothesis.

Lesson 3 • Ideation Frameworks and Techniques

Introduces divergent thinking methods including how-might-we prompts, brainwriting, and analogical reasoning. Generates a broad solution space before narrowing begins.

Lesson 1 • Taxonomy of MVP Types

Catalogs concierge, Wizard of Oz, landing page, explainer video, and prototype MVPs with real examples. Establishes a shared vocabulary for selecting the right format.

Lesson 2 • Matching MVP Type to Hypothesis

Provides a decision framework for selecting the MVP format that tests the riskiest assumption fastest. Prevents over-engineering by aligning format to the specific learning goal.

Lesson 3 • Ethical Considerations in MVP Testing

Addresses informed consent, data privacy, and honest representation when testing with real users. Ethical practices protect participants and preserve brand trust during experiments.

Lesson 4 • Writing Testable Hypotheses

Structures assumptions as falsifiable if-then hypotheses with explicit success criteria. Rigorous hypothesis writing prevents ambiguous results that cannot drive decisions.

Lesson 1 • No-Code and Low-Code Build Options

Surveys no-code and low-code platforms suited to rapid MVP construction across product categories. Empowers non-engineers to build testable artifacts without development resources.

Lesson 2 • Managing Scope Creep During Build

Identifies triggers of scope creep and provides techniques to maintain MVP discipline under pressure. Scope control directly determines whether the MVP remains minimum and testable.

Lesson 3 • Agile and Sprint-Based MVP Development

Introduces sprint planning, backlog management, and daily standups adapted for MVP-scale teams. Keeps build cycles short and focused on the minimum needed for the experiment.

Lesson 4 • Rapid Prototyping Techniques

Covers paper prototyping, clickable wireframes, and interactive mockups as fast build methods. Connects prototype fidelity levels to the validation questions being tested.

Lesson 1 • Producing the Learning Report

Structures findings into a concise learning report that connects evidence to hypotheses and decisions. The report becomes the artifact that justifies the next strategic move.

Lesson 2 • Synthesising Qualitative Feedback

Uses affinity mapping and thematic coding to extract patterns from interview and survey responses. Qualitative synthesis reveals the why behind quantitative behavioural data.

Lesson 3 • Collecting Behavioral and Attitudinal Data

Covers analytics instrumentation, session recording, surveys, and follow-up interviews as data sources. Combines behavioural evidence with attitudinal data for a complete picture.

Lesson 4 • Defining and Tracking Key Metrics

Establishes which quantitative and qualitative metrics align with each hypothesis type. Metric selection before launch prevents post-hoc rationalisation of ambiguous results.

Lesson 1 • Knowing When to Stop

Establishes objective criteria for discontinuing an MVP effort and redirecting resources. Stopping gracefully is a strategic skill that preserves team capacity for better opportunities.

Lesson 2 • Types of Pivots and When to Use Them

Catalogs zoom-in, zoom-out, customer segment, and business model pivots with decision triggers. Matching pivot type to the specific failed assumption prevents misdirected changes.

Lesson 3 • Interpreting Results Against Hypotheses

Teaches systematic comparison of actual results to pre-set success thresholds. Prevents emotional or political bias from overriding evidence-based conclusions.

Lesson 4 • Persevere Criteria and Iteration Planning

Defines what constitutes sufficient validation to continue and how to plan the next build cycle. Persevere decisions must be paired with a concrete improvement hypothesis.

Lesson 1 • Transitioning from MVP to Engineering Scale

Addresses technical debt, architecture decisions, and team structure changes required for scale. Students learn when to rebuild vs. extend the MVP codebase or toolset.

Lesson 2 • Go-to-Market Strategy for Scaled Launch

Designs a go-to-market plan that leverages MVP learnings about channels, messaging, and segments. Validated customer insights directly inform acquisition and positioning strategy.

Lesson 3 • Sustaining a Learning Culture Post-MVP

Embeds continuous experimentation and customer feedback loops into the scaled product organisation. Prevents the loss of MVP discipline as teams and processes grow larger.

Lesson 4 • Building the Product Roadmap

Translates validated MVP learnings into a prioritised, outcome-based product roadmap. The roadmap balances customer needs, business goals, and technical feasibility.