How long does it take you to build an MVP?

Question

Michael Cho · Accepted Answer

A couple of days, maximum. Sometimes an afternoon.

a. I'm referring to anything which is live and can be shown to potential users as an "MVP", it's mostly not functional.
b. I reuse code from prior projects a lot.
c. I use design/css/js frameworks rather than writing raw styles.

Divad Sanders · Answer

@elenat Sounds like a solid timeline, considering the intricacies! Building a robust foundation is key, especially with complex backend work. Quality takes time

Javier Sánchez · Answer

Yes, I'm with @michael_cho1 . If we start from the idea that an MVP is just the beginning of the concept, it shouldn't take much time. So, we only need to build the core of our idea and set it in motion to see if it works (For my current job, I created an MVP in one week). Of course, it will also depend on the complexity, creating an MVP involving some AI could take more time for sure!

Divad Sanders · Answer

@um404 thank you for the thorough explanation Uldis. I think your process does well to find the balance between rapid development and ensuring comprehensive testing and quality control to impact the overall success and longevity of a product.

Uldis · Answer

The timeline for product development can vary, but an average of 2-3 months seems reasonable. When doing so I subscribe to Agile ideas and Continuous Integration/Continuous Deployment (CI/CD) practices. 
I automate and streamline repetative tasks from the get go, so that it pays dividends as the development continues even beyond MVP.

Over the years I have pretty robust and fast process to get even complex things built:

1. Start by making something public, even if it's a basic landing page, that can be cooked up within day or two.
2. Automate server configuration: use automation tools like Ansible to configure the server. This enables a complete rebuild within minutes if needed.
3. Establish a CI/CD pipeline: pipeline gets triggered upon each new code push to the code repository. This pipeline should conduct code quality assessments, execute automated tests, build the software, and deploy it to the server.
4. Iterate on the MVP: adopt an iterative development cycle that incorporates feedback into successive code revisions (feedback -> code -> feedback -> code, and so on).

Divad Sanders · Answer

@michael_cho1 Leveraging past work and frameworks for a quick MVP is genius. Thanks Michael.

How long does it take you to build an MVP?

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