Ideas are everything, but they’re usually just the beginning.
So, you’ve had that lightbulb moment, and you’ve got an app idea. What comes next?
The first step is figuring out the bare minimum you need to get your idea off the ground. This process is called scoping your MVP (Minimum Viable Product).
In my early days of developing apps, I often struggled with design. I could map out the process flow, the algorithms, and the steps to achieve the outcome, but figuring out how to visually represent everything on screen was a different challenge. My boss would sketch out wireframes, sometimes on a napkin in a café, and most of the time, that was enough for me to make sense of the whole picture.
Scoping your MVP is an early opportunity to organise your thoughts and refine your ideas. The process forces you to dig into the details, research competitors, outline feature sets, and broaden your perspective. It triggers new ideas and builds your knowledge base of what’s already out there, helping you think creatively about how to differentiate your product.
Scoping your MVP is a bit like preparing for public speaking. When you rehearse your presentation silently in your head, it feels fine, but the moment you practice out loud, you catch things you’d miss otherwise. Awkward phrasing, or ideas that don’t quite connect. Scoping works the same way. By articulating your ideas clearly, sketching out designs, and defining the key features, you start to get a better understanding of your product.
Keep your scoping process simple and process driven, this is how I like to approach it:
- Identify the core problem – What’s the one big problem your app solves? Everything else can wait.
- List must-have features – Break these into user stories (what your users will do), and focus only on what’s essential to solve the problem.
- Research UX and competitors – Like learning anything, it’s all about research. Look at similar apps, see what works, and think about how to improve on what’s already out there.
- Sketch out wireframes – Start with simple sketches of the key screens. It’s not about perfection, it’s about understanding the basic visual representation.
- Get feedback early – Share your ideas early with trusted people. It’s better to adjust now than later after you’ve invested months in development.
The biggest lesson I’ve learned? MVP isn’t the final product, it’s the first step in turning your idea into a reality. You’ll improve, refine, iterate, and scale as you go.
If you’re thinking about launching an MVP, I’d love to help you. If you want to bounce ideas or need advice, feel free to reach out. I’m always happy to share what I’ve learned and help you get started.
