Max VP

I recently found out about this concept which explains perfectly what I think a great product should represent.

We can define the Maximum Viable Product (Max VP) as a product that has just those features that allow it to be successful and no more. Customer needs are being met.

Instead of infinite grow (a concept at this point engrained in Silicon Valley companies) and the continuous adding of new features, a Max VP is a finely tuned engine that runs at full speed, where every feature has been carefully implemented and the UX is king.

There is a point where the feature set we have meets our customers desired outcomes, our Max VP. Where adding more features begins to have a detrimental effect on the user experience.

We see more and more apps that try to provide any imaginable feature to the user and delivering a poor UX in return. Over the years I learned to appreciate the opposite: focus on what your product is great at, deliver a limited set of well polished features, and pay attention to every small interaction.

While I try to apply this concept in my daily work as Head of UX Design, I found myself selecting which apps I use based on this even before I knew about this Max VP intuition.

Some apps that I use every day come to mind: Things 3, iA Writer, and Bear.

These apps don’t follow user requests but instead anticipate their needs and are opinionated in their design decisions.

They offer a set of feature that might seem limited compared to what their competitors do, but the User Experience and the functionalities they provide are so finely tuned that your efficiency will actually improve.