MVP Scoping: Insight from Thorgate’s Product Analyst, Janar Merilo
Whether you’re a startup or a large company, it’s easy for your mind to escape you when exploring digital products. Typically, the size of the project balloons and it can hit a point where it’s no longer feasible to execute. In this scenario, you must focus on scoping out your minimum viable product (MVP). In the interview below with Janar Merilo, Seedcamp Winner and Product Analyst at Thorgate, you will find an expert overview of the MVP field.
Who are you and what do you do?
I am one of the Founders of Thorgate, a creative digital product agency. We build web and mobile products for various traditional industries including forestry, energy, entertainment and flower wholesale amongst more. Currently, I’m working as a Business Developer and Product Analyst within the company.
Which product development process are you currently using?
At the moment, we use our own MVP scoping process, designed at Thorgate as an answer to our own problems. We found that we had several clients coming to us with “yet another Microsoft Office” (too many features) or with just an idea in their heads (no scope document) and we just could not start developing it until we don’t have a proper scope document written down; people don’t realise that building a huge product with hundreds of features without any real feedback from the market is so inefficient and expensive. This is how our MVP scoping process and the service began. What’s really amazing is that the result is actually pretty similar to Google’s Design sprint.
Overall, how do you think a project should be split between analysis, design and programming?
Nowadays, everybody talks about being agile: “launch your product fast, be super quick with UX design, use Bootstrap, don’t overthink anything, act on the market’s feedback straight away!” However, we learned pretty fast that there should be a fine balance between planning and action.
At Thorgate, we know it’s sensible to design and test products before starting to code (we use Invisionapp for that). Fixing coding mistakes later down the line is so much more expensive than combatting issues at the beginning. To approach coding issues before a project, you must ask yourself: “Who are the users of this product? Why do they use it? What are their major problems?” Thus, it’s wise to conduct an analysis workshop, before you start designing.
Usually, we spend one full day on a workshop with clients, designers and developers to scope out the first MVP idea. After that, we reconfirm it over the next couple of days. Sometimes we get potential client to attend our MVP workshops to help test the product. It’s a great way to bring all parties together: existing clients act as the idea generator, Thorgate acts as the designers and developers and future potential clients test the product. It is extremely valuable to get feedback at such an early stage.
Can you give an elevator pitch about MVP for readers who are not familiar with the concept?
At Thorgate, we like to use the Pareto principle when describing MVP; it is a product consisting of 20% of the features which give 80% of the required feedback or user satisfaction.
There are many faces of MVP. How do you know which type is best for your clients?
All products are different. Thus, you should treat each case separately. For this reason, we have designed different versions of the MVP scoping workshop to be based on the needs of different clients. For a startup it makes sense to test their riskiest assumptions and draw a business model canvas with your MVP. However, for a global market research company building their intranet, there would be some parts we wouldn’t need as much as we would for the start-up.
Why is scoping out the MVP important?
It’s important to firstly write out the MVP scope document, which doesn’t need to be a 10 page essay or business plan; it’s purpose is to simply help design and development teams to make estimates for the length and cost of a project.
Decision makers then use this document to determine the way in which the product will be developed, or whether it’s developed at all. Luckily, the scoping or analysis in general has become more important in the eyes of clients as well. Although it might casually be referred to as preparation for development, we actually think of it being the solid foundation which is crucially required for development. You wouldn’t build a house without a solid foundation, would you?
How do you justify the importance of this ‘small set of features’ in light of all other important features?
Everything is important, however there are always things that are more important! Especially when certain elements result in high value for customers. This is why, during our MVP scoping workshops, we reassure clients that all features agreed on are exactly what users need in terms of delivering value.
How much time or money can a company save by scoping out the MVP?
By dedicating just a few days to analysing the product carefully, you can prevent any problems in advance and make immense savings which might have otherwise cost you months of refactoring later down the line.
So, Janar, you have also built up a successful startup (GateMe) and won Seedcamp (a top European accelerator). What is the motivation behind your pursuits and what do you feel fuels your inspiration?
I’ve been always fascinated about creating value and efficiency. When I left the finance sector 7 years ago and entered the IT industry, I saw an endless pool of opportunities for increasing efficiency in the world. Solving problems for people globally with today’s technologies is exactly what wakes me up every morning! I’d like to also stress out that I’ve been extremely lucky having such a great team around me since the beginning and Thorgate’s team passion is what keeps me moving forward till today!
