Minimum Viable Product:Vision, Focus and Simplicity

Brian Watson

CSM|PMI-ACP|SPC|CBAP|Certified Collaboration Instructor

MMF and MVP

MVP

MMF

“Smallest possible set of functionality

that, by itself, has value in the

marketplace” – James Shore

“Product with just those

features needed to deploy, and

nothing more” – Frank

Robinson

Ingredients for your MVP

Vision

KISS

Laser Focus

on the USER

Some Psychology…

Adam Grant, Penn U

Read stories of

former call center

reps….

Read success stories of

former students…

Read nothing…

2x

Simplicity

Simplicity: The art of maximizing the amount of work not done – is essential

Simplicity is the ultimate

sophistication – Leonardo da Vinci

A or B

Occam’s Razor

Occam’s Razor

• Scientific Heuristic • Among competing hypotheses, the one with the fewest assumptions

should be selected

• i.e. always go with the simplest option

Simpler theories are preferred, because they are easier to test!

Pareto Principle

45 percent of

delivered features

are never used.

(Johnson, J. 2002. Keynote speech, XP

2002, Sardinia, Italy.)

Edge Cases

are the silent

killer of projects

How do we prevent edge cases?

User

Role

Attributes

CharacteristicsIntended

Actions

Treat Requirements “different”

Requirements/Specifications

StoriesModels

Conversations

User Interactions Over

Specification Fails….

Specification Fails….

Specification Fails….

Specification Fails….

Specification Fails….

Specification Fails….

Traditional Requirements

The product shall have a gasoline-powered engine

The product shall have four wheels

The product shall have a rubber tire mounted to each wheel

The product shall have a steel body

On a sheet of paper or index card, draw a picture of the end product specified

below:

(DON’T LET YOUR NEIGHBOR CHEAT OFF OF YOU! ) ☺

User Goals

I am a home owner with a large corner lot

I want a product that makes it easy and fast for me to mow my lawn and I want to be comfortable while using the product

Documentation Fails…

•Default corporate reflex is… you must document• How else will the developers know what to build?

• How will we ever have a record of the system?

• (What they are really saying is) • How will I achieve CYA?

Role Hours Cost Total Cost

BA 900 (3 hours per

page)

$50/hr $45,000

Executive 120 $100 $12,000

SME’s 250 $40 $10,000

PM 75 $75 $5,626

Reviewers/QA/Dev/

etc.

50 $50 $2,500

Total $75,125

Assume:

300 Page

Requirement

Document

$250 per page!

Output ≠ Outcomes

Scenario 1: Bonus Time!

You want a new toy AND you can

pay cash for any of these cars.

No…you don’t NEED one.

You WANT one.

Cars

Saving…

2 months savings

6 months savings

12 months savings

Scenario 2:

You need to save

for your new toy

Again, you don’t

NEED one.

But, you WANT

one…

But…

1 126

What if you had no car? You have to walk 5 miles to and from work EACH day.

What if you could trade in a car with zero wait time and get the same value you paid?

NOW…what car would you buy?

2

Great example, but this isn’t real life…

• 4.8 oz

• 128MB RAM

• 4/8/16G

• 3.5in screen

• 2 MP camera

• 5.04 OZ

• 1G RAM

• 16, 64, 128G

• 4.7in retina screen

• 10MP/1080p rear, 5 MP/720p front

Sold

6.1 MILLION

units

Sold

10 MILLION units

(In the first weekend)

Cars

iPhone 1

iPhone 6

iPhone

X?

What if you tried to build the iPhone 6 from the start?

What happens if you don’t have an MVP?

Questions…

Track me down…

@agilebdub

http://www.linkedin.com/in/agilebdub

www.agilebdub.com