MVP Your Startup!
If you’re a successful product manager, you truly understand the significance of creating a Minimum Viable Product (MVP) to validate a product idea, gather feedback, and test its market potential. If you’re lucky, you might get recruited by a venture capital firm or early seeder to “productize an idea” with “enormous potential.”
You may even be asked to fund the product yourself (don’t do this) but more likely you’ll be given a budget, something low like $100,000 USD. In this article series, I explore how you can act as this entrepreneurial Product Manager to build a key team of offshore talented developers to support front-end design, front-end interface, back-end database, and AWS configuration and security.
In this first article, I layout the overall plan. In future articles, I will provide more detail and address the challenges you might experience along the way.
Define Your MVP Scope (step 1)
To build an MVP on a budget, it is essential to have a clear and focused scope. Identify the core features that will provide the most value to your users. Prioritize essential functionalities and save the nice-to-haves for future iterations.
This should be able to fit on one page. Refer to this article as a template.
Explore Offshore Talent (step 2)
Both India and Africa have a burgeoning tech talent pool, and outsourcing to these regions can often be cost-effective without compromising quality. Research reputable outsourcing companies, freelance platforms, or local development communities to find the right team for your project.
Assemble the Key Team (step 3)
To ensure a smooth development process, form a key team comprising six developers with the following skills:
- Front-End Designer: One designer who can create visually appealing and user-friendly interfaces that align with your product’s vision.
- Front-End Developers: Two developers proficient in HTML, CSS, and JavaScript to bring the design to life and create an interactive user experience.
- Back-End Developers/DBA: Two developers experienced in server-side programming languages like Node.js, Python, or Ruby on Rails to handle the back-end database and logic.
- Scrum Lead: largely your second in command, someone who is located in the city or town where your developers live. Proficient in English
Set Up Effective Communication Channels (step 4)
Working with a remote team requires seamless communication. Utilize collaboration tools like Slack, Trello, or Asana to foster open communication, track progress, and address any challenges promptly.
See article on Managing Outsourced Freelancers
Adopt Agile Development Methodology (step 5)
Implement Agile methodologies like Scrum or Kanban to streamline the development process and ensure efficient teamwork. Regularly hold sprint planning, reviews, and retrospectives to keep the development on track and gather feedback. Use the universally accepted Jira for this.
Utilize Cloud Services (step 6)
To minimize infrastructure costs, leverage cloud services like Amazon Web Services (AWS) or Microsoft Azure. AWS offers a Free Tier with limited resources that can be ideal for early-stage startups.
Prioritize Security and Compliance (step 7)
Security is paramount when handling sensitive user data. Ensure that your team adheres to best practices and industry standards to secure your application and comply with relevant regulations.
You don’t want to be in a position where you have a product and no one wants to buy because you didn’t follow standard SOC 2, Level 1 compliance or doesn’t use password controls for things.
Emphasize MVP Testing and Feedback (step 8)
The purpose of an MVP is to gather feedback from users and stakeholders. Encourage your team to release early and often, allowing users to test the product and provide valuable insights for improvements.
Ask VC firm or seeder to help create a customer advisory board to address this need.
Monitor and Optimize (step 19)
Implement analytics to track user engagement, behavior, and performance. Use this data to make informed decisions and optimize your product iteratively. Similar to security, analytics is vital at this stage.
See article on low budget monitoring tools
TLDR
Building an MVP on a budget with a skilled team in India or Africa requires strategic planning, effective communication, and an agile approach. By defining a clear scope, assembling the right team, utilizing cloud services, and prioritizing security, you can create a successful MVP for less than $100K. Emphasize feedback and continuous improvement to ensure your product resonates with the target audience and sets the stage for future growth and success.
Attribution
Image by iconicbestiary on Freepik
