When it comes to building software, discerning the absolute minimum viable product - or rather, the MVP - should always be step one. That’s why a detailed, step by step plan of delivery is vastly important.

There’s a common misconception, however, that an MVP is a framework or a blueprint-esque concept. This is not the case - an MVP should instead be a customer-ready product or service that’s fit for use, but without any extra features or addons.

On that note, let’s dive in to our top tips for building effective bespoke software, and how to create your MVP:

• Start with the core functionalities of the software. Firstly, you need to work out what exactly constitutes the core reasons for building the software in the first place. Once these have been decided and implemented, this is your MVP. Only then should you consider what other features will be necessary, which ties-in to step two.
  
  

• Make sure each feature is useful and not just a nicety. This stops your software becoming bloated before it’s even begun. That, and it cuts back on unnecessary resources and costs during the development process. Also, this keeps your software streamlined and effective - as opposed to being a jack-of-all-trades but master-of-none.
  
  

• Build according to demand. This isn’t to say no extra features should ever be added, but just ensure the features will be effective at scratching a specific itch, not just thrown in for the sake of it. Some features, however, might seem like a great idea on paper, but when it comes to practice it's not actually needed. This is why it’s also important to:
  
  

• Test as you go. That way, any new requirements that arise can be added with minimum fuss, and there’ll be no need to jump right back to square one. On the same note, things that were an initial requirement may end up not being needed, so they can be removed or tweaked as the process goes on.
  

Let’s think of it like this…

Imagine you’re software is a plant, searching for the sun as it grows. The sun, in this (admittedly odd) metaphor, is the complete, bespoke requirements of your specific project, which dictates the direction and shape of the plant as it grows - much like your specific requirements dictate the ‘shape’ of the software. 

Similarly, it’s only as the plant develops and begins to take shape that it is so influenced by the sun. A rather handy similarity to the fact that as the software itself begins to take shape, it’s possible that further requirements may be discovered down the line that help to shape the software further.

Odd analogies aside, however, this is a pretty good way to look at your software. It’s important to always keep in mind the end goal, to save yourself from getting distracted by unnecessary add-on features, or indeed under-developing the software. 

So, to finalise...

If you’re building software without continually testing the MVP, the software might look and sound great on paper, but when it comes to the actual practice it may just fall short - or be missing an important factor of the design that could’ve been implemented with ease earlier down the line. In short, you can consider the MVP a little bit of both; the minimum viable product AND most valuable player, especially when it comes to software design.

And that's where we come in. We can help you design the perfect piece of software for your business, with minimal fuss. We combine the best parts of a business-first mind with in-depth coding expertise. This means we not only build your software, but we help to streamline your business processes. Coding and business, we bring the best of both worlds.

We’re proud of the work we achieve for our clients. Have a read through our Case Studies to find out how we develop a project from start to finish, or alternatively feel free to get in touch with us on our website.