MVP for big organizations should be called MVR: ‘Minimal Viable Revamp’

The term MVP means: “Minimum Viable Product” and is used across our industry for many years now. It has become synonymous with ‘a first, usable version of a product’. It was first coined by Frank Robinson in 2001 and then popularized by Eric Ries (author of the Lean Startup — the ‘startup bible’ for many entrepreneurs).

MVP often refers to a first version of an app, platform or website that allows its founders to test and validate the core value proposition of whatever it is they’re trying to create.

For example, if you are building an app that connects dog owners with people who want to walk a dog, the MVP could be a first, working version in which users can create an account, connect with other users, and plan to walk a dog. That would the minimum amount of functionality you probably want to test and validate with real users, to see if the app holds any ground to continue.

The other day I was in a discussion with a CMO of a large UK company, and she informed that the ‘MVP’ of her new app was launching soon. However, that app was going to replace their existing mobile app, which has been live in the App Stores for many years. What she really meant was a ‘first revamp/rebuild of the current app’. But, she called it an ‘MVP’, and I knew exactly what she meant: a first new release of the app, that will feel, act and look new — and will replace the existing app.

However, in her case, that new app must align with broader corporate objectives, so development may be slower and less agile due to approval layers and stakeholder interests, than for a brand new startup that starts building from scratch. Also, she has to validate feasibility within an established market, rather than finding a new, underserved market segment that startups are often after. All in all, her task of launching an MVP was way more daunting than it might sounds.

And so I came to realize that the word ‘MVP’ can mean multiple things, depending on who you speak with:

• In startups, MVP refers to a speedy, efficient and quick way to get feedback, in order to find product-market fit. The MVP has just a few features.
• In corporates, MVP refers to an often large revamp of an existing product, through controlled risk, aligned with strategy, and validated feasibility before scaling. The MVP typically has all legacy platform’s features, plus additional, new ones.

If you look at the fundamental purposes for which the MVP can be used, it becomes why the term MVP is an attractive term for many large companies:

MVP Purposes

— Test a product hypothesis with minimal resources
— Accelerate learning
— Reduce wasted engineering hours
— Get the product to early customers as soon as possible
— Find a base for other products
— Establish a builder’s abilities in crafting the product required
— Build a brand very quickly

These purposes perfectly align with the objectives of many large corporations to become more agile, efficient and with shorter time to market. They embody the very things a lot of organizations lost due to tech debt, slow approval processes, incapable people and indecisiveness.

As such, launching an MVP is way riskier for these large organizations than startups, who generally have nothing to lose. And so something that’s ‘minimal viable’ for a large public company, requires a lot more thinking, internal agreements, and ironically, risk taking, than many startups. As such, the term MVP might be inspiring for corporations because it’s a ‘cool startup word’, but doesn’t really cover the load and seems to be quite ‘unfair’ towards big organizations, plus it might set unrealistic expectations.

Minimal Viable Revamp

Instead of the term Minimal Viable Product, the real thing companies are doing when they overhaul their existing platform/app/website, is creating a Minimal Viable Revamp: a new, often radically different version of an existing product.

Minimal Viable Revamp: a new, often radically different version of an existing product.

Let’s look at them side by side:

Why is this important?

Why is it important to make this distinction clear? Because we want to have the right expectations set for CMOs, CDOs and Product Leaders when they are tasked with revamping their digital products. Frankly, the word ‘MVP’ definitely does not align those expectations and MVR aims to make those expectations clearer and more realistic.

PS. In doing research for this article, I found out a development agency called ‘Hatchworks’ coined a similar acronym with a similar meaning. They refer to it as ‘Minimal Viable Replacement’, by the way.

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This post was written by me, Frank van de Ven. I am currently working for NTT DATA and help organizations design and build new digital platforms. Connect with me here.