| Title | Pain point | Length |
|---|---|---|
| MVP vs. POC: What's the difference and which one is right for your business? | What stack should we use for our MVP? | 1 745 |
Okay, take off your big and aspiring founder shoes and imagine this: you're a young architect in a board meeting with the stakeholders of your company. They've cut a whole hour out of their busy schedules and wait for a project update.
So you go: "Guys, remember that fancy underwater mall we've talked about a couple of months ago? Guess what – we can build it. Like, it's totally possible. I mean, I'm not really sure how, but it is possible. Cool, right? Now give money."
You're somewhat disappointed in their reaction – why are they boo-ing you? You can build it, so that's good news, right? You leave the meeting and head home. You spend the night building a miniature model of the fancy underwater mall out of a repurposed aquarium and toothpicks.
The next day you visit your friend who is a contractor and show him your creation. You remember the board meeting, so you're being more cautious with words: "See this fancy underwater mall I've made yesterday? Take it and build, like, a BIG one... please". Probably, that's the moment when you tell yourself you might not be the genius architect you've thought yourself to be. So, what went wrong here?
See, this is where the concepts of MVP (Minimum Viable Product) and POC (Proof of Concept) come into play. Understanding the nuances between MVPs and POCs is crucial for founders, because choosing the right approach can make all the difference in bringing innovative ideas to life while ensuring business viability. So, what are MVPs and POCs exactly?
A proof of concept (POC) serves as a fundamental step in the product development process, acting as a litmus test for the technical feasibility of an idea. Conducted early on, often before a prototype or MVP is created, a POC aims to demonstrate that the core technology or underlying concept behind the idea can actually work.
Essentially, a POC is a stripped-down version of the proposed product, focusing on the critical functionalities or technical aspects that underpin the overall concept. It's not about building a complete, polished product – rather, it's about proving that the idea is technically sound and can be translated into a tangible product.
In other words, something your contractor friend might need to get an idea of how to to bring all that underwater mall madness to life.