Which First Version of Your New App Should You Choose?

When preparing a new digital project, a wise entrepreneur must test its functionality before releasing it on the market. This largely depends on the product being developed, its scope and target audience, but it is assumed that a prototype or an MVP app is sufficient to validate the initial business idea.These two approaches can save time and money, so there is no need to invest in a huge, complex platform without going through one (or both) of these stages first.

MVP vs prototype – what is the difference between them?

In short, a prototype tests an idea, while an MVP tests a product. In practice, depending on your needs, these definitions can blur – a prototype can be more detailed and an MVP more basic. An application prototype is an interactive, working visualisation of the product, designed to identify usability flaws in the design. An application MVP is a value based version of the product, containing only the minimum features to make the whole thing work, so that value can be brought to market as quickly as possible. An MVP can be used (to a limited extent, of course). When comparing prototype vs MVP, it is also worth noting that the former more closely resembles the actual product in appearance, as it presents itself very realistically. MVP should not be confused with the concept of cheaper and inferior solutions.This is a pre-release product ready for testing. MVP focuses on the nature of the function or problem the application is meant to solve. Applications at the MVP stage usually lack any functionality that is considered additional or optional.

Benefits of prototyping and MVP

Aside from the primary benefit of testing the reaction of a proposed product with real users in a way that makes efficient use of time, money and resources, there are many other benefits associated with prototyping a digital product. A prototype can be a great way to ensure stakeholder and investor engagement – which in turn will give us greater reach and financial security. An MVP may omit elements such as tracking a shipment on a real-time map or logging in with a Facebook account. Unlike prototypes, which are used to test the performance of a system at a technical level, an MVP focuses on market acceptance of the application. MVP allows you to see if the feature developed is useful to users and if they see the value of using it.

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