Product scope

How to define MVP scope without a feature war

MVP scope follows the hypothesis, complete moment of value and metric, not a stakeholder vote on a feature list.

Mikołaj LehmanUpdated: 23 July 20267 min read

Short answer

To define MVP scope, choose one user group, one moment of value and one primary risk. Keep only the capabilities required to complete the flow and measure the result.

Start with a hypothesis

A strong hypothesis connects the user, situation, behavior and expected result. A feature enters the MVP only when it is required to test that hypothesis.

Use three buckets

Must have: the moment of value cannot occur without it
Later: important after value is confirmed
Not now: does not affect the current decision

Protect the complete flow

Scope can be narrow, but the process must be complete. The user enters, performs the task and receives a result while the team sees the data required for a decision.

Practical checklist

One user group
One core workflow
One value metric
Explicit assumptions
A list of deferred items
A criterion for the next investment

Next step

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