The Real Process Behind Apps Users Love (Part 1): How to Build an MVP That Scales Without Breaking the System

At a certain point in every product journey, founders and engineering teams hear the same advice:

Don’t over-engineer. Just build an MVP.

This is a very good and valid advice.

What Is an MVP, Really?

Wikipedia defines a minimum viable product (MVP) as:

A minimum viable product (MVP) is a version of a product with just enough features to be usable by early customers who can then provide feedback for future product development.

In practice, the MVP is not just about minimal features. It’s about delivering real value to the users you can actually reach and sell to.

The MVP Misconception

The standard definition of an MVP is the smallest thing you can build to start the learning loop. But most teams focus entirely on the Minimum and ignore the Viable.

There is a massive difference between a product that is feature-light and a product that is fundamentally broken. When you ship a minimal version that fails the user at a foundational level, you aren't just testing a hypothesis—you are actively poisoning your brand.

Real viability isn't just about whether the code runs. It’s about trust. In a world where users have infinite choices, their first interaction with your app is a high-stakes moment. If you ask them to trust you with their data, their money, or their time, and your MVP fumbles the ball, they won't iterate with you. They’ll just leave. 

And trust me, that trust is way too expensive to regain!

The Question Most Teams Don’t Ask

Instead of asking:

How do we build this fast?

You should ask:

What is the minimum system that can deliver real value to a real user?

This is where system thinking begins:

• What core entities exist? (users, sessions, content, transactions…)

• What is the simplest data flow?

• What is the smallest feature set that still solves the problem?

This is the MVP done correctly — not a fragile prototype, but a lean, coherent system.

When "Move Fast and Break Things" Becomes a Liability

There are specific scenarios where the standard "ship it and fix it later" approach leads to market rejection. These are the: Exceptions to the MVP Rule.

Exception 1 — When the Product Domain Is Structural

If your app handles Money, Identity, Sensitive Data, or Privacy, your MVP cannot be rough. You can’t have a minimum viable encryption or a minimum viable way of handling someone’s bank credentials.

You can ship with only one feature, but that feature’s underlying data model must be rock solid. Mistakes in your auth or database schema aren't bugs you patch; they are structural failures that often require a total rewrite.

While you try to keep the features minimal, the architecture must be intentional.

This is common in fintech, healthtech, edtech platforms, marketplaces, SaaS admin systems.

Exception 2 — When the Product Is Workflow-Heavy

Some products are not single actions. They are workflows or simply put, a chain of events (like an Airbnb booking or a B2B procurement flow).

For example:

• Admin panels

• Internal tools

• Marketplaces

• Educational platforms

• Booking systems

• Multi-step dashboards

In these cases, building only a tiny slice often makes the product unusable, because the value is in the complete flow.

If you only build "the middle" of a workflow to save time, the user is left stranded. Users don’t want 30% of a workflow. They need the flow to complete their task. A fragmented MVP that doesn't let a user finish what they started is a guaranteed way to build a reputation for being useless.

Here, your MVP must be the smallest complete loop, no matter how narrow that loop is.

Exception 3 — When Performance Is the Product

For some applications, performance is not an optimization. It is the product:

• Realtime systems

• Trading platforms

• Chat and conferencing

• Collaborative tools

• Media streaming

If the MVP is slow, users conclude the product is bad.

You cannot say, “we’ll optimize later.”

Here, you must design early for:

• Responsiveness

• Concurrency

• Correct state handling

• Efficient data flow

Because later is too late!

Exception 4 - High Stakes Environments

If you are entering a mature market (e.g., a new project management tool or a new chat app), the bar for entry is much higher. Users are comparing your MVP to polished giants like WhatsApp, Slack or Notion.

If your MVP feels significantly worse than the free version of a competitor, you won't get early adopter feedback. You’ll get market rejection. In mature markets, your MVP needs to be a Minimum Lovable Product!

What “Design for Reality” Actually Means

“Design for reality, not perfection” does not mean:

Be careless.

It means:

Be minimal in features, but deliberate in foundations and essentials

A good MVP is:

• Small on the surface

• But very thoughtful underneath

You are not avoiding design.
You are avoiding unnecessary design while protecting critical design.

The Takeaway

Design for reality, not for a launch date. A great MVP should feel like a small house built on a skyscraper’s foundation. It might only have one room, but the plumbing works, the locks are secure, and the floor won't cave in when the second story is added.

Build your MVP so that when you finally get the Product-Market Fit you're looking for, your system—and your brand reputation—is actually ready to handle it!

Be precise where it’s expensive to change and expensive to regain users' trust after a bad experience.