MVP Testing - Final Strategy to Test a Minimum Viable Product

Building a Minimum Viable Product (MVP) is one of the most crucial steps for aspiring startups to go through. It’s about making something highly condensed, yet doing it correctly. 

“The biggest risk is building something nobody wants.” - Eric Ries, author of The Lean Startup.

How do you know what people want? You test, a lot. Startups often wonder where to begin testing their products, and more than 77% of development teams believe that testing is an integral part of the development process. Testing is essential for the MVP, where the first impression is imperative for future success.

This article answers the question of how to test an MVP. Correctly performed MVP testing ensures you deliver a well-rounded and functional product, even with minimal core functionalities. MVP product testing is a methodical process that allows you to validate your potential product while saving as many resources as possible.

You will learn how to test Minimum Viable Products using low—and high-fidelity methods to make informed decisions about your product development. We’ll explore MVP testing meaning, methods, and the purpose of testing your MVP effectively.

What is MVP Testing

An MVP refers to the most basic version of a product that a company can release to the market. A Minimum Viable Product should have enough core features to satisfy early adopters and gather valuable user feedback.

“Let’s talk about Minimum Viable Product, or as I like to call it: the art of building just enough to find out you’re wrong.” – Scott M. Graffius, author of Agile Protocol: The Transformation Ultimatum.

MVP testing involves exposing the product to a subset of target users and collecting their feedback through various channels. This MVP testing strategy lets you gain insights into user behavior and preferences. You can use this information to make proper decisions about future iterations and help prioritize features for subsequent releases.

Traditional testing is quite strict, but the situation is different for MVPs. MVP in testing is more exploratory and focuses on gathering qualitative feedback. The primary goals of MVP testing are:

• Validate whether the product fits your market: Does the MVP address a real problem or need for the target audience?

• Assess user experience: How do users interact with the product, and what are their impressions?

• Identify areas for improvement: What features or functionalities should be added, modified, or removed based on user feedback?

• Gather insights for future development: How can the product be enhanced to meet user needs and expectations better?

If you’re wondering what is MVP testing or what is the purpose of testing your MVP is, it comes down to validating your assumptions while building a viable solution that your target audience actually wants.

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The Importance of MVP Testing

MVP (Minimum Viable Product) testing is a cornerstone of the Lean Startup methodology, enabling startup founders to validate their ideas efficiently while minimizing risks and costs. Why does testing matter?

By launching a product with just enough features to address core user needs, founders can gather critical insights to shape future development. After all, reports state that 35% of startups fail because there was no market need for their product. This is why MVP testing is essential for validating the core idea, and much more.

Here are six key reasons why MVP testing is essential for startups:

1. Validation of Core Features

MVP testing focuses on delivering a product with only the essential features to test the core value proposition. This approach confirms whether the minimum viable product solves a real problem for the target audience before investing in additional functionalities. 

A startup that wants to know how to create an online marketplace MVP has to conduct some serious testing. The reason is simple – to validate core functionalities and align them with problem-solution fit.

For example, Dropbox used a simple three-minute video as its MVP to demonstrate its file-sharing concept, validating demand with 75,000 beta sign-ups overnight, proving the power of testing core assumptions early.

2. Reduction of Development Costs

By concentrating on a minimal feature set, MVP testing significantly lowers development MVP costs compared to building a fully-featured product. This allows startups with limited budgets to allocate resources efficiently and avoid wasting funds on unproven ideas.

For instance, recent surveys show that most IT professionals allocate 31-50% of their budget to testing and quality assurance. This tendency indicates the importance of catching product development and testing issues early in the project life cycle.

3. Faster Time to Market

Testing your MVP enables startups to launch quickly by prioritizing core functionality over perfection. A faster market entry helps founders seize opportunities, gain early traction, and stay ahead of competitors. 

Uber’s initial MVP, UberCab, was a simple SMS-based service in San Francisco, allowing the founders to test the ridesharing concept and iterate based on real-world usage before scaling.

4. User Feedback for Iterative Improvement

While a startup can consider between PoC vs prototype vs MVP to collect user feedback, MVP testing offers it directly from early adopters, which is crucial for refining the product. This feedback loop aligns development with user needs, ensuring iterative improvement and a stronger product-market fit.

Buffer’s MVP, a minimal landing page, collected user emails and feedback via Twitter, validating demand and guiding feature development with minimal effort.

5. Data-Driven Decisions

Testing an MVP generates actionable data on user behavior, engagement, and preferences, enabling founders to make informed decisions. Metrics like user retention, conversion rates, and feedback scores provide clarity on what works and what needs adjustment.

As a hypothetical example, when building an MVP for SaaS startups, the team might discover through MVP testing that users frequently abandon a complex onboarding process, prompting a redesign to simplify the experience and boost retention.

6. Minimize Risks

MVP testing mitigates the risk of building a product that fails to meet market needs. By validating assumptions early, founders can pivot or abandon ideas that don’t resonate, saving time and resources.

The resource cost of fixing things along the project life cycle increases exponentially. This trend highlights the importance of incorporating MVP testing as early in the project as possible.

Preparation for MVP Testing

Before proceeding to the examples of how to test an MVP, you need to understand how to prepare for the process. It's simple – a well-laid-out groundwork generates the most value from the test results. These results will transform into information that will affect future decisions.

Here are several considerations to improve your preparation for MVP testing, which are used by MVP development companies:

Define the Target Audience

You should identify the target audience for MVP testing. This way, you will ensure that your user feedback is relevant and valuable. Consider several factors, such as demographics, industry specifics, and other characteristics defining your target audience for MVP testing.

Set Objectives

You want to create a set of reachable goals for your MVP testing strategy. Think of validating specific assumptions that are mission-critical for your minimum viable product. Do you prioritize usability, user experience, or engagement? Or do you want to test MVP functionality, navigation, and visuals? Answer these questions – that's the idea.

Select the Methodology

This is one of the most important aspects of preparation. You want to select MVP testing methods that suit your goals. Consider factors such as the complexity of your product, target audience, and available resources.

Set up the Environment

Depending on your chosen testing method, you'll need an appropriate environment. This can be anything from digital test labs to virtual meeting rooms to help test your MVP effectively.

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Low-Fidelity vs. High-Fidelity Testing

With general preparations covered, let's look at the testing methods available. You'll need to decide whether to proceed with low or high-fidelity testing or a combination of several strategies to test your minimum viable product. Each approach has its pros and cons:

Low-fidelity Testing Methods

Advantages:

• Only basic prototypes are required to provide a general idea of what the product will be about.

• These MVP testing techniques are cost-effective and relatively quick to implement, offering the benefit of early feedback.

Disadvantages:

• These methods can lead to an unrealistic image of the final product.

• Potential risk of shallow and low-quality user feedback.

High-fidelity Testing Methods

Advantages:

• Provide an accurate representation of the user experience, resulting in precise user feedback.

• Prevent potential errors caused by imperfect design and development implementations.

Disadvantages:

• It requires a fully functional, almost finished MVP.

• More resource-intensive, potentially delaying the release of the product.

Your choice of MVP testing methods depends on a combination of factors. Consider the complexity of your product, current development stage, and testing objectives. These things matter more than one might think.

Careful planning and preparation will save you time and money, improving your chances of a successful MVP launch.

How to Test an MVP: Low-Fidelity and High-Fidelity Methods

In this section, you'll find methods and examples that explain how to test an MVP. As previously mentioned, there are low-fidelity and high-fidelity MVP testing methods. Here's a breakdown of the most common and proven MVP testing methods:

Low-Fidelity MVP Testing Methods

Paper Prototyping

This is one of the most basic and cost-effective MVP testing methods. It works just as it sounds – you create a hand-drawn sketch or printed screens of your future product's interface and key features.

These paper prototypes are handed out to the control group of users, who interact with them. This MVP test method allows you to simulate product experience and navigation through different screens with virtually no financial costs required.

The method's usefulness lies in the fact that it offers an opportunity to gather user feedback regarding potential architecture, navigation flow, and usability of the future product. An excellent method for early stages of MVP development and a common approach when you want to test an MVP quickly and cheaply.

Wireframe Testing

This method is an evolution from the previous one. Wireframes are mockups that offer a glimpse of the product's user experience. While often lacking design elements, wireframe prototypes focus on information hierarchy and window layout.

Wireframe testing is an excellent method of gaining insights into the best ways to test an MVP and achieve intuitive user experience. It also helps with identifying potential usability issues with the organization of the user interface in the early stages of the MVP validation process.

Clickable Prototypes

A clickable prototype is an interactive mockup. Companies often use specialized tools such as Framer, InVision, or Marvel to create them. These prototypes allow users to navigate through different screens, which simulates interaction with the product. The DBBS Platform features a Storybook – a tool for creating clickable prototypes.

This method is beneficial for gathering real-time user feedback and providing a realistic experience with an MVP. Clickable prototypes offer the benefit of observing actual interactions with the product, which helps with identifying any obstacles or areas for future improvements. It is one of the most effective ways to test an MVP before full development.

Storyboards

Similar to clickable prototypes, storyboards serve as visual representations of the user’s experience and interactions with an MVP. They look akin to comic strips and consist of sketches with descriptions.

A storyboard is a valuable MVP testing tool that effectively identifies pain points and areas that can lead to confusion, providing invaluable information about what should be improved. It’s a helpful testing method for communicating flow and identifying weak spots early in the MVP testing strategy.

Role-Playing Testing

This method is quite different from the above-mentioned ones. Also known as "Wizard of Oz" testing, it's based around a person who simulates a product's functionality. Users interact with the prototype while the wizard simulates its functionality behind the scenes.

Such a testing method yields results similar to previous methods but requires less input in terms of developing a prototype. This concierge MVP or Wizard of Oz MVP is an efficient MVP testing technique to simulate interactions and gather live user feedback before investing in automation.

Landing Page Testing

Finally, a landing page is a great yet simple method for how to test a Minimum Viable Product. It's about creating a simple page that describes the product's main features and value proposition. Landing pages often include a call-to-action.

This method benefits from stirring potential users’ interest in your product and generating traffic. The team can analyze the page's traffic and conversion rate to assess whether their MVP will be of interest to the target audience. This landing page MVP is widely used among best MVP testing methods to test market demand.

High-Fidelity MVP Testing Methods

Functional Prototyping

This MVP testing method involves developing a fully functional, high-fidelity prototype or beta version of a product. Functional prototypes are interactive and function similarly to the final version of your product.

Functional prototypes offer the benefit of comprehensive MVP testing of features, usage flows, and overall usability. This type of MVP test is helpful in the later stages of MVP development and supports refinement of your product before release.

E2E testing is an essential part of functional prototyping. Automated tests, such as Playwright and Cypress, can validate entire user flows from start to finish, ensuring that all integrated components (frontend, backend, APIs) work together as expected. Both these tools are a part of our DBBS Pre-Built Solutions.

A/B Testing

A/B testing is a method for comparing two features or UI element variations to identify their performance. Users interact with two versions of some element, and the team collects user feedback based on predefined metrics.

This split testing technique is most commonly used to tweak and optimize smaller features like CTA buttons, flows, or headlines. It’s a data-driven way to make choices and an essential part of any MVP testing strategy.

Multivariate Testing

This method is similar to A/B testing; however, it involves multiple variations of features. Multivariate testing helps developers identify the most optimal combination of features and elements.

An excellent MVP testing method for evaluating usability, conversion, and interface elements simultaneously. It's one of the best ways to test complex UX hypotheses.

Live Beta Testing

A well-known MVP testing technique, live beta testing involves releasing an almost-ready version of the MVP to the public. However, it's accessible to a limited group of people who perform real-world testing and provide live user feedback.

Live beta testing is great for testing MVP performance in the field and identifying any hidden bugs or performance issues before the final launch.

Soft Launch Testing

A soft launch is quite similar to beta testing. This method is about launching the MVP to a specific target audience—for example, releasing the product in one region.

This method allows companies to observe user behavior and MVP performance, making adjustments before rolling out to a larger market. It's a low-risk strategy to test your minimum viable product in real conditions.

Crowdsourced Testing

The final MVP testing strategy is based on crowdsourced testing platforms. These platforms offer access to numerous testers who interact with the MVP and provide user feedback.

Usually, these tools include moderated or unmoderated testing sessions. The benefits include professional, unbiased feedback and testing diversity across devices, operating systems, and cultures. A smart choice for global MVP validation.

Comparing the Popularity of MVP Testing Methods

With so many available methods to test your MVP, it can be helpful to understand which ones are most commonly used across the industry. While the choice of MVP testing method should align with your goals, resources, and stage of development, some techniques are clearly favored due to their cost-efficiency, scalability, or direct feedback potential.

The table below compares both low-fidelity and high-fidelity MVP testing methods based on their general popularity and common use cases. This overview can guide teams looking for the most practical and effective ways to test an MVP in various stages of the product lifecycle.

You’ll notice that methods like paper prototyping, clickable prototypes, and A/B testing consistently rank high, as they provide a balance of usability insights and speed. Others, such as storyboards or crowdsourced testing, may be more niche but still offer unique benefits in specific scenarios.

Choosing the Right MVP Testing Techniques

Selecting the most suitable MVP testing methods is critical for the success of your minimum viable product. The right approach will allow you to test your MVP effectively, reduce waste, and gain insights that lead to data-driven decisions. Below are five key factors to help you choose the best MVP testing strategy for your product.

1. Consider Your User Base

Understanding your target audience for MVP testing is essential. Tailor your MVP test techniques to match the expectations, behavior, and tech-savviness of your users.

• Early adopters are a great group for early feedback, especially when testing innovative or niche products.

• Creating user personas helps simulate how different customer types will interact with your MVP.

If your minimum viable product targets Gen Z consumers, use TikTok or Instagram polls to gather early user feedback before formal testing. Airbnb’s founders tested their MVP with event attendees in San Francisco, a specific segment needing short-term lodging, which provided focused feedback that shaped their peer-to-peer rental platform. 

2. Clarify Your Objectives

Before launching any MVP testing technique, clearly define what you want to achieve. Common goals include:

• Validating your product idea or core feature set

• Testing product-market fit

• Gauging usability or user engagement

• Identifying barriers to conversion

If your main objective is to validate usability, consider clickable prototypes and usability testing with a small focus group. Spotify’s MVP, a simple landing page with streaming technology, aimed to validate playback speed and stability to attract music labels and investors, a clear objective that guided their testing strategy. 

This example closely follows the SMART (Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, Time-bound) approach, which allows testers to find out whether the solution is intuitive and solves the critical pain point for consumers.

3. Match the Technique to the MVP Phase

Each stage of your MVP development process calls for different MVP testing methods:

• Before development: Use interviews or surveys to validate assumptions.

• During prototyping: Run wireframe testing and clickable mockup tests to evaluate design flow.

• After launch: Use A/B testing, split testing, or live beta testing to test real-world performance.

At the prototype phase, use Figma to conduct low-fidelity testing like clickable walkthroughs before moving into development. Uber’s SMS-based UberCab MVP evolved into a beta app for real-world testing in San Francisco. The lesson is to move just like Uber MVP, and scale techniques with your product.

4. Blend Quantitative and Qualitative Methods

The best MVP testing is built on a combination of data types:

• Quantitative data gives you statistical insight into user behavior, feature usage, and conversion rates.

• Qualitative data reveals motivations, emotions, and usability concerns via interviews and observation.

Feedback gathered through user interviews or surveys reveals the “why” behind the numbers. For example, you can use heatmaps (quant) to identify where users click most, and pair this with post-test interviews (qual) to understand why.

5. Choose Techniques Manageable Within Your Resources

Startup teams comprise diverse members with their own specializations and unique strengths. They must often test an MVP under tight budgets and time constraints. Ideally, you want to select MVP testing methods that align with your MVP development team's roles, size, tools, and available funding.

• Use free or low-cost tools like Google Forms, Unbounce, or Typeform for landing page MVPs or surveys.

• Try remote testing and hallway usability tests to keep things agile and low-friction.

A two-person team might skip full prototyping and start with a landing page MVP to measure interest and collect email sign-ups. Everything comes down to available resources, time, and factual need. As Jakob Nielsen, the founder of Nielsen Norman Group, stated:

“Testing with 5 people lets you find almost as many usability problems as you'd find using many more test participants.”

MVP Validation Process – How to Conduct MVP Testing

Effective MVP testing is essential for validating assumptions, minimizing risk, and building products that meet market needs. Below is a detailed guide on how to structure your MVP validation process, from idea to iteration.

Step 1 – Defining the MVP

The first step is to define your MVP by identifying the core problem it solves and the minimal features needed to deliver value to users. Consider the primary function that addresses your target audience’s pain points, avoiding unnecessary features that inflate costs and timelines.

Focus on:

• The core problem your product solves.

• The smallest set of features required to deliver that value.

• What success looks like for your MVP.

Ask:

• Who is your target audience?

• What problem are you solving?

• What are the must-have vs. nice-to-have features?

Clearly articulate your value proposition and prioritize “must-have” features using frameworks like MoSCoW (Must-have, Should-have, Could-have, Won’t-have). This ensures your MVP is simple, feasible, and aligned with user needs.

Step 2 – Identifying Key Metrics

Select metrics that match your MVP’s goals. These are the numbers that will help you determine whether your MVP test is successful.

• Activation rate: Are users reaching the value moment?

• Retention rate: Are users coming back?

• Conversion rate: Are users completing the key action (purchase, sign-up)?

• Engagement: How much time are they spending?

Use testing tools like Jest and Detox (described below) to collect and validate these metrics through automated testing.

Top Testing Tools for Mobile Apps

For mobile app MVPs, robust testing tools are essential to ensure functionality, usability, and performance align with user expectations. 

Two standout tools for startups are Jest for unit testing and Detox for end-to-end (E2E) testing, both of which support TypeScript and are widely used in mobile app development, particularly for React Native projects. Both these tools are a part of our DBBS Pre-Built Solutions. Here’s why:

Jest

A versatile JavaScript testing framework that excels in unit testing for TypeScript-based projects, making it ideal for startups using React Native or Node.js. It requires minimal setup, supports parallel test execution, and offers features such as snapshot testing and code coverage reports.

• Tests logic and functions in isolation.

• Ensures calculations, validations, and conditions behave correctly.

• Great for MVPs built with React, React Native, or Node.js.

Detox

A gray-box E2E testing framework designed specifically for React Native mobile apps, supporting both iOS and Android. It simulates real user interactions, such as clicks and navigation, on devices or simulators, reducing test flakiness by synchronizing with app operations like animations and network requests.

• Simulates real user interaction on mobile devices

• Verifies UI flows: onboarding, checkout, login

• Ideal for React Native apps and cross-platform testing

Metrics and KPIs to Monitor

When using Jest and Detox, monitor these key metrics to validate your MVP:

• Test Coverage: Use Jest’s --coverage flag to measure the percentage of code tested, ensuring critical paths are covered.

• Test Pass Rate: Track the percentage of passing tests to assess MVP stability.

• User Flow Completion: With Detox, measure completion rates for key user flows, like onboarding or checkout, to identify friction points.

• Crash Reports: Monitor crashes via Detox’s device logs to ensure a stable user experience. These metrics provide a comprehensive view of your MVP’s quality and user readiness.

You can also use tools like Firebase to monitor some of the key analytics for your solution. Firebase Analytics provides developers and marketers with detailed information about how users interact with their applications, including data on user behaviour, user acquisition and retention, and conversions:

• DAU/MAU (Daily/Monthly Active Users).

• Conversion Funnel drop-off rates.

• Session Duration and feature use frequency.

• Error logging and performance tracking.

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Step 3 - User Testing

User testing involves exposing your Minimum Viable Product (MVP) to a select group of target users to gather valuable insights into how potential consumers perceive your solution. User testing puts your MVP in front of real users to evaluate:

• Usability.

• Clarity of value proposition.

• Pain points and blockers.

• Emotional response to your product.

Types of User Testing:

• Moderated usability testing: Guided sessions to observe behavior

• Remote usability testing: Tools like Maze, Useberry, or Lookback

• Beta testing/soft launches: Let early adopters try your MVP in a real-world setting

Step 4 - Data Analysis

Analyzing data from user testing and automated tests provides insights into your MVP’s effectiveness. Break down the analysis into three key areas to ensure a comprehensive evaluation:

Evaluate User Needs

Assess whether your MVP addresses the core problem it was designed to solve. Collect qualitative feedback through surveys or interviews to understand user satisfaction and unmet needs. You need to answer these questions:

• Does the MVP actually solve a user problem?

• What features did users highlight as helpful or confusing?

• What feedback themes are emerging?

Identify Features Usage

Analyze quantitative data from Jest and Detox tests to determine which features users engage with most. Metrics like click-through rates or time spent on specific functions highlight what’s working. Your key areas of interest should include:

• Which features were used most/least?

• Are users discovering the features you expect?

• Are there abandoned flows?

Uncover User Frustration

Identify pain points causing user frustration, such as confusing navigation or technical issues. For example, Detox’s E2E tests can reveal where users abandon tasks, like a clunky checkout process in an e-commerce MVP. Therefore, you want to know:

• Where are users getting stuck?

• Are they dropping off at a specific screen?

• What do rage clicks, long pauses, or reattempts indicate?

Step 5 - Iterate and Improve

Use insights from data analysis and testing to refine your MVP. Prioritize updates based on user feedback and metrics from Jest and Detox, focusing on high-impact features that enhance value. Use everything you’ve learned to:

• Refine core features: Eliminate friction and improve the most-used flows

• Prioritize your roadmap: Invest in the areas that deliver the most value

• Add, cut, or rethink features: Let the data drive your roadmap

• Retest: After changes, repeat user testing to validate improvements

Conduct A/B tests, supported by Jest for unit-level validation and Detox for user flow testing, to compare feature variations and implement changes iteratively. Reassess your strategy regularly, ensuring each iteration brings your product closer to market fit. Document learnings to guide future development and maintain alignment with user needs.

Bottom Line

Knowing how to test a Minimum Viable Product is critical for your solution and should not be overlooked. MVP testing provides valuable insights into numerous aspects of an MVP, such as user preferences, behavior, and potential areas of improvement. Testing MVPs enables developers to validate their assumptions and make informed decisions regarding the future of a solution.

For maximum efficiency, you can employ a combination of low-fidelity MVP testing methods such as paper prototyping, wireframes, and clickable prototypes in the early stages, and high-fidelity methods like functional prototyping, A/B testing, and live beta testing in later stages.

Testing your MVP involves careful preparation, clear objectives, and relevant practices. Combining these elements ensures you test your minimum viable product effectively and deliver a product that resonates with your target audience.

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