Beyond MVP: Building a Minimum Lovable Product

The Problem with MVP

The "minimum" in MVP often leads to:

• Ugly, frustrating products
• Users who try once and leave
• No word-of-mouth growth
• Feedback that's hard to act on ("it sucks")

What is a Minimum Lovable Product?

An MLP is the smallest thing you can build that users will actually love:

• Still minimal in scope
• High quality in execution
• Delightful in key moments
• Worth talking about

The MLP Framework

Step 1: Find Your Core Value

What's the ONE thing that must be amazing?

• Identify the key job-to-be-done
• Focus all polish on that moment
• Accept "good enough" elsewhere

Step 2: Design for Delight

Add unexpected touches:

• Delightful copy
• Smooth animations
• Thoughtful error messages
• Personal touches

Step 3: Obsess Over Onboarding

First impressions matter:

• Time to value under 2 minutes
• Quick wins for new users
• Clear next steps

Step 4: Polish the Core Flow

Make the main job frictionless:

• Remove unnecessary steps
• Anticipate user needs
• Handle errors gracefully

MVP vs MLP Comparison

Examples of MLP Thinking

Superhuman

Before launch:

• Keyboard shortcuts for everything
• Beautiful design
• Onboarding concierge call
• 100ms response time goal

Result: 7+ NPS, massive word of mouth

Linear

Before launch:

• Fastest issue tracker ever
• Keyboard-first design
• Beautiful UI
• Smooth animations

Result: Beloved by developers

How to Build Your MLP

Identify core job: What's the main thing users hire you for?

Excel at the core: Make that experience 10x better than alternatives

Add delight: Surprise users with thoughtfulness

Cut everything else: Be ruthless about scope

Use reBacklog to identify what features will make users love your product.

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