Building a Minimum Viable Product (MVP) is crucial for any software startup, as it allows you to validate your idea, gather user feedback, and iterate with greater precision and agility. In this guide, we’ll walk you through the next steps for creating an MVP.
Step 1: The problem
The first step is to identify the problem you’re solving. What pain point does your software address? Who experiences this problem? How significant is the problem?
For example, when Airbnb started, they recognized that travelers around the world were struggling to find easy ways to book rooms with locals or become hosts themselves. The primary option was hotels, which didn’t fit the preferences of many millennials who wanted to connect with the city and its culture.
Step 2: Value proposition
Next, articulate your value proposition: What unique value does your software offer to solve the identified problem? How is it different from existing alternatives? Keep it concise and compelling.
Airbnb’s value proposition was an online marketplace that connected travelers with local hosts. Hosts could list their spaces and earn extra income, while travelers could book unique accommodations, save money compared to hotels, and interact with locals.
Step 3: Target Audience
With your problem and value proposition defined, identify your target users. Who will benefit most from your software? What are their key characteristics, preferences, and behaviors? Create detailed user personas.
Airbnb had two main target audiences:
- The Traveler – Millennials who enjoy frequent travel (3-4 vacations a year) on a budget. They prioritize unique experiences over stereotypical resorts and want to immerse themselves in the local culture.
- The Host – Owners or tenants willing to list their spaces to earn additional income and meet interesting people from around the world.
Step 4: The Competition
Analyze how your target audience currently addresses the problem. What solutions do they use? What are the strengths and weaknesses of each option? This helps determine your key differentiators.
For Airbnb, the main alternatives were:
- Hotels
- Hostels
- Couchsurfing
Step 5: Determine your advantages
Airbnb offered several advantages over hotels, hostels, and couchsurfing:
| Ventaja | Descripción |
| Rentable | Más asequible que los hoteles, permitiendo a los viajeros ahorrar en alojamiento y darse un capricho en actividades |
| Alojamientos únicos | Espacios únicos con carácter local vs. habitaciones de hotel genéricas |
| Inmersión cultural | Capacidad para conectarse con anfitriones y culturas locales |
| Reserva simplificada | Plataforma en línea fácil de usar para buscar, reservar y pagar |
| Ingresos extra para anfitriones | Oportunidad para que los anfitriones publiquen fácilmente sus espacios y ganen dinero con un mínimo esfuerzo |
Step 6: Prioritize essential functions
List all the possible features of your MVP and prioritize them. Include only what’s necessary for launch. Focus on the core functionality that addresses the main problem.
Key features of Airbnb’s MVP likely included:
- Account and profile creation for hosts and guests
- Listings of spaces with photos, descriptions, and prices
- Search functionality to find listings by location, dates, price, etc.
- Booking and payment system
- Communication tools between hosts and guests
- Review system for spaces and users
Step 7: Design a memorable UX
An intuitive and engaging user experience (UX) is essential to MVP success. Focus on simplicity, easy navigation, and fast loading times. Design for your users’ needs and preferences. Avoid feature overload that detracts from core functionality.
Step 8: Develop, test, and iterate
Build your MVP using lean principles. Create a prototype, test it with a small group of target users, gather feedback, and iterate quickly. Continuously improve based on real user insights. Adopt an agile development approach with short sprints.
Take note:
- Define the problem clearly and make your value proposition unique.
- Identifying your target audience is key.
- Research the competitive landscape and determine your differentiators.
- Distill your MVP concept into a compelling elevator pitch.
- Prioritize essential features and aim for a loveable first product.
- Design an intuitive and engaging UX focused on simplicity.
- Develop leanly, test rapidly, and iterate based on real user feedback.
- Launch to a wider audience and continue improving based on market response.
By following these steps and keeping the core principles in mind, you’ll be on your way to building an MVP that effectively solves your target audience’s problem.
If you have a powerful idea and need help bringing it to life, don’t hesitate to let us know; we’d be happy to help. You can visit our success stories here: https://evolbit.net/projects
Finally, if you are looking for companies that develop software, web development, or applications, at Evolbit we will accompany you throughout all the processes so that the solution is the most suitable and aligned with your objectives.
Last modified: April 21, 2025