MVP Development: Pitfalls & Lessons From Personal Experience

Launching a software Minimum Viable Product (MVP) is important for validating product ideas quickly and efficiently. This article explores the pitfalls and lessons learned from two personal stories where MVP projects never saw the light of day. I hope you learn from these personal journeys and increase your chances of success.

Definition and Importance of MVP

An MVP is a product with just enough features to attract early adopters and validate a product idea. It allows companies to avoid over-investing in unnecessary features and to iterate based on real user feedback. Focusing on the core value proposition of the product is key, ensuring that the essential functionalities are prioritized over perfectionism.

Common Pitfalls in MVP Development

Personal Story 1: The Content Website with Dynamic Menus
Early in my career, I worked for a software company that had several products. However, at one point, the owner decided to create something completely different. It was an informative website with dynamic content and a sophisticated tree-structure menu system. I say “sophisticated” because those types of dynamic menu controls did not really exist in the early 2000s in the web applications world. Mind you, this was the time of classic Active Server Pages (ASP).

Anyway, the idea was for me to design and build a web application where an admin could easily load curated news articles and then users would be able to easily find and read, based on a well-organized structure and navigation system.

I had a lot of fun working on this project and figuring out how to create a dynamic menu with “+” and “-” icons for expanding and collapsing the nested tree-like structure. After a lot of experimentation and trial and error, I was able to build it, and it worked great.

Then all the fine-tuning steps began. The company owner wanted it to be perfect, and he kept asking me to refine the web app in various ways. I gladly did it, as I could see the results from my hard work, which I was very proud of.

However, little by little, the weeks turned into months, but the site was not launching. It was never good enough for release, and more fine-tuning had to be done. At some point, other work priorities took over, and I had to switch gears to other projects. Despite my belief that the project was a great accomplishment, the owner did not consider it good enough, and it was never released.

So several months of effort went down the drain. Yes, it was a great learning experience for me, and I vastly improved my skills as a software engineer. However, for my boss, it was a total loss by his choice.

Personal Story 2: The Virtual Print Room
Many years later, I worked as a Fractional CTO (though “fractional” was not a term back then) for a small company in the printing industry. The owner had a great idea about a web-based product that would allow people to upload images online, virtually visualize them in their room, decide the right print size, and complete their order. Today there are many photo printing sites that offer this functionality, but back then it did not exist.

He had engaged with two separate outsourcing development shops before that, and both failed to deliver. After I joined, we started round three. I helped select a development shop and we gave them a challenge – to complete a simple prototype in order to demonstrate that they had the skills to build such a virtual tool online that would allow a user to superimpose one image over another and manipulate its size in real time.

Everyone was excited, and we signed up with this third group, full of hope that this time this product would finally get built. The effort began, and progress was going well. However, whenever we got together to discuss product requirements and the scope of the MVP, the conversations would take similar patterns. The owner wanted every little detail to be perfect. In addition, he wanted a lot of functionality to be included in the MVP.

We would get into heated discussions in a group with the developers, the owner, the investor, and one of the print shop workers. The more we debated, the more it seemed that division was happening in the group instead of unity.

My frustration grew, and at some point, I shared my thoughts very frankly with the owner. I expressed my serious concern that we would release nothing because he wanted it all. Ironically, I shared with him my previous experience, which I recounted above in my other personal story. I told him that I feared this would be a repeat of the previous example and implored him to not repeat that mistake.

Nevertheless, despite my best efforts, I was not able to get through. Sadly, it was not long after that when progress began stalling. The development shop started losing interest and slowing down, and finally, the investor decided he had had enough. In comparison to the previous story, this was a larger, longer, and more expensive effort that went down the drain. What was sadder was that, unlike my first experience, this time I had the insight to warn the second owner, but he chose to not listen.

MVP Development Lessons Learned

From these personal experiences, several key lessons emerge that can help you guide your successful MVP development:

Lesson 1: Avoid Perfectionism
In both stories, the desire for perfection led to significant delays and ultimately, project failure. In the first story, the project stalled because the owner continuously sought perfection, resulting in endless refinements and a never-launched product. Similarly, in the second story, the owner’s insistence on perfecting every detail caused debates and hindered progress. The lesson here is to resist the urge to perfect every detail before launch. Focus on delivering a functional MVP that meets the core needs of users, and pursue perfection in later iterations based on real user feedback.

Lesson 2: Be Clear and Realistic With Your Goals
Both stories highlight the importance of having clear, realistic goals from the beginning. As Stephen Covey would say: begin with the end in mind. In the first story, the lack of a clear, realistic launch plan led to months of effort without any tangible outcome. In the second story, the owner’s expanding vision and unrealistic expectations for the MVP’s functionality caused significant delays and ultimately derailed the project. Establish clear goals for what the MVP should achieve and stick to them. This focus helps prevent scope creep and ensures that the project keeps moving forward.

"Begin with the end in mind." ~Stephen Covey

Lesson 3: Prioritize Core Features
The failure of both projects can be attributed to the inclusion of too many features in the MVP. In the first story, continuous additions and refinements prevented the project from ever being ready for launch. In the second story, the insistence on an extensive feature set led to heated debates and division among stakeholders. Prioritize the core features that provide the most value to users and defer non-essential features to future versions. This approach ensures a quicker launch and allows for user-driven improvements.

Lesson 4: Effective Communication and Team Unity
The lack of effective communication and unity among the team was evident in the second story. Disagreements and division among the development team, owner, investor, and myself led to stalled progress. While heated debates are healthy, encourage collaboration and strive for ultimate alignment across all team members on the MVP’s goals and vision. If you are the person causing division, step back, zoom out, and figure out what needs to happen in order to have a united team moving in the same direction.

Lesson 5: Flexibility and Adaptability
In both experiences, the rigidity of the project owners contributed to the failures. In the first story, the owner’s unwillingness to launch until perfection was achieved meant the product never saw the light of day. In the second story, despite my warnings and past experience, the owner was not open to adjusting his approach, which led to stalled progress and eventual abandonment. Being flexible and adaptable is important. Be willing to adapt based on feedback and changing circumstances.

Lesson 6: Learn from Past Experiences
The second story underscores the value of learning from past mistakes. Despite having previous experience with a similar issue, the second project owner did not heed my warnings, repeating the same errors. Reflect on past projects and learn from past mistakes. Sometimes, we don’t have the luxury of having past lessons, but when they are available to you, consider them and take a smarter approach. If you are the founder and have a Fractional CTO on your team, consider the mistakes he/she has made in their career and the lessons learned from those mistakes.

The Role of a Fractional CTO in MVP Development

A fractional CTO can provide strategic guidance and technical leadership, helping startups and small companies through MVP development. Their experience can be invaluable in avoiding common pitfalls and ensuring a successful launch. Nevertheless, founders and CEOs must be willing to listen. A doctor can prescribe the right treatment, but the patient has to make the choice to follow it. The same way, a Fractional CTO can make recommendations, but the founder/owner/CTO has to make their choice.

Is your MVP struggling to launch?

If you are struggling with MVP development or facing similar challenges, reach out for a complimentary consultation. Let us work together to bring your product ideas to life efficiently and effectively. Contact me today to discuss how we can collaborate on your next big project.