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Guide · Apps & MVPs

MVP checklist: 5 things to decide before you build an app

Most app projects slip because the scope is unclear, not because the code is hard. Settle these five points first.

1. Who is it for, and what problem does it solve?

Write one sentence: "This app helps [type of person] do [one thing] without [the current pain]." If you cannot say it in one sentence, the idea is still too wide. Name one real person or group you can show the first version to.

2. What is the one job the first version must do?

An MVP is the smallest version that proves the idea. List every feature you want, then mark the one journey a user must complete for the app to be useful, for example sign up, find something, and pay or book. Everything else goes on a "version two" list. Extra features are easy to add later and costly to untangle early.

3. Which platform comes first?

Decide whether your first users are on Android, iPhone, or both, and whether a mobile website would be enough to test the idea. Pick the platform your first users already use. A launch on one platform is usually a smaller, clearer project than two.

4. What needs to be ready before building starts?

Gather what the build depends on: a rough sketch or list of screens, your brand name and logo, any text and images, and the accounts you will need to launch, such as an Apple or Google developer account and a payment provider if you take payments. Check which third-party services you plan to use, because some of them have their own fees and approval steps.

5. How will you know it is working?

Pick one or two simple measures before launch, such as the number of people who complete the main journey or the number of people who come back. Also decide who approves each stage, and what "done" means for version one. This keeps feedback focused and the scope fixed.

Next step

If you have answers to most of these, you are ready for a scoping conversation. If not, that is fine: message us your idea and we will help you shape it into a fixed scope. See our startup MVP services and how we work. Delivery timelines on this site are Express (apps in about 30 days) or Regular (about 2 months), counted from when we receive your requirements.

Also useful: How to prepare website content in 15 minutes.

Have an idea or a business to put online?

Tell us what you need and your timeline. We start with the scope.

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