The Purpose of an MVP

A Minimum Viable Product is not a broken, half-finished product. It is the smallest, highest-quality product that validates your core value proposition. The goal is learning, not features. Ship the minimum scope that tests whether real users will pay for your solution. At Nexis Limited, we have helped dozens of startups go from idea to launched MVP — we have learned what works and what wastes time.

Scope Definition

Identify the Core Value

Your MVP should solve one problem exceptionally well. Not three problems adequately. Define the single most important user problem your product solves. Every feature in the MVP must directly support that value proposition. Everything else is post-launch.

User Journey Mapping

Map the minimum user journey: how does a user discover, sign up, experience the core value, and (ideally) pay? This journey is your MVP scope. Cut everything outside this journey — admin dashboards, advanced settings, integrations, and edge case handling.

Feature Prioritization

  • Must have: Features without which the core value cannot be demonstrated. These are in the MVP.
  • Should have: Features that improve the experience significantly. Add these in the first iteration after launch.
  • Nice to have: Features that polish the product. Add these based on user feedback.
  • Cut: Features that belong to a different product or solve non-core problems. Remove ruthlessly.

Technology Choices for MVPs

Prioritize Developer Velocity

Choose technologies that maximize development speed, not theoretical scalability. Spend time building features, not configuring infrastructure. Recommended stack for most MVPs:

  • Frontend: Next.js with React. App Router for modern features, excellent developer experience.
  • Backend: Next.js API routes or a lightweight Node.js/Python API. Keep it simple.
  • Database: PostgreSQL via a managed service (Supabase, Neon, or RDS). Do not self-host databases.
  • Authentication: Clerk, Auth0, or Supabase Auth. Do not build auth from scratch.
  • Payments: Stripe. Use Stripe Checkout for the fastest integration.
  • Hosting: Vercel for frontend, Railway or Render for backend services.

Buy vs Build

For an MVP, buy everything that is not your core differentiator. Auth, payments, email sending, file storage, search — these are solved problems with excellent SaaS solutions. Your engineering time should be spent on the unique thing your product does.

Development Timeline

Weeks 1-2: Foundation

  • Project setup — repository, CI/CD, deployment pipeline.
  • Authentication — sign up, login, protected routes.
  • Database schema design and migration setup.
  • UI framework — component library, layout, navigation.

Weeks 3-6: Core Features

  • Build the core user journey end-to-end.
  • Focus on the minimum scope that demonstrates value.
  • Skip edge cases — handle the happy path thoroughly.
  • Internal testing throughout — use the product daily.

Weeks 7-8: Polish and Payments

  • Payment integration — Stripe Checkout for subscriptions or one-time payments.
  • Error handling and edge cases for the core flow.
  • Email notifications for critical actions.
  • Landing page with clear value proposition.

Weeks 9-10: Beta Testing

  • Invite 10-20 beta users from your target audience.
  • Observe how they use the product. Where do they struggle? What do they ask for?
  • Fix critical issues. Note feature requests but do not build them yet.

Weeks 11-12: Launch

  • Fix beta feedback issues.
  • SEO basics — meta tags, sitemap, structured data.
  • Analytics setup — track key actions and conversion funnel.
  • Launch publicly. Announce on relevant channels.

Common MVP Mistakes

  • Building too much: The biggest mistake. If your MVP takes longer than 3 months, the scope is too large.
  • Premature optimization: Do not solve scaling problems you do not have. Your first 100 users will not break a basic PostgreSQL database.
  • Building without talking to users: Talk to potential users before writing code. Validate the problem exists and people will pay for a solution.
  • Perfecting the UI: The MVP UI should be clean and functional, not pixel-perfect. Users care about value, not visual polish at this stage.
  • No analytics: If you cannot measure how users interact with your MVP, you cannot learn from it. Set up analytics from day one.

Conclusion

An MVP is a learning tool. Define the minimum scope that validates your value proposition, choose technologies that maximize development speed, and launch within 90 days. The goal is not a perfect product — it is a launched product that generates real user feedback and validates your business hypothesis.

Building an MVP? Our team specializes in rapid MVP development for startups across South Asia.