When building companies and products, I am a big believer in quick iteration. I think that understanding your customer is crucial to building a product that they will or will come to love.
The easiest and perhaps best way to iterate quickly on something is to build what people call a minimum viable product or MVP. The MVP is the smallest version of your end product that you can deliver to customers.
There are lots of ways to go about designing this iteration so that you can get it out the door quickly while still learning about your customers.
Here is a good representation of how to and how NOT to build your MVP:
Often times, iteration is hard. Why? Because you get feedback that is uncomfortable.
That is why I also recommend that you fall in love with the problem you are trying to solve and not your particular solution. When you are iterating quickly, disassociate yourself with the how you are solving it and just go in with a “I want to learn” attitude. Of course, you have an idea — but go out there and test it. Find out if the real world wants your product. And if they don’t (which often times happens), find out why…Is it the wrong fit? Is it the quality? Is it the price? Is it the need?
Answer those questions quickly. Fail fast. And learn fast.
THANKS FOR READING
JORDANN