For years, the Minimum Viable Product (MVP) has been our guiding star. The mantra ‘learn the most by building the least’ is etched into the mind of every PM. But in today’s saturated markets, where user expectations are sky-high, I’m starting to question if ‘viable’ is a high enough bar. A bare-bones, buggy MVP can fail to capture the imagination of early adopters, or worse, tarnish a brand’s reputation before it even gets off the ground.
This is where the concept of the Minimum Lovable Product (MLP) enters the conversation. An MLP isn’t about bloat or feature creep. It’s about focusing on the same core functionality as an MVP but executing it with a level of polish, design, and user experience that elicits a positive emotional response. It’s the difference between a product that works and a product that delights. It solves the user’s problem in a way that makes them want to tell their friends about it.
Of course, this creates a healthy tension between speed and quality. ‘Lovable’ is subjective and requires deeper upfront research and a tighter collaboration with design and engineering. But by creating a small group of passionate early advocates, an MLP can provide much richer feedback and build stronger momentum than an MVP ever could.
How does your team navigate this? Are you still launching MVPs, or are you consciously shifting focus to building something more ‘lovable’ from day one?