PoC vs Prototype vs MVP: Stages of Product Development

PoC vs Prototype vs MVP: Stages of Product Development

Have you ever had a great idea that died before it got anywhere? 

Even worse, have you ever spent months (and a ton of money) building something nobody wanted?

This is the beautiful world of product development – where dreams become real things. But listen closely: between the start and finish of every new product is a process. This process has many names. And acronyms. And an unfortunate amount of facepalms.

PoC, Prototype, MVP. No, it’s not a secret language or text message code kids use nowadays. These steps turn casual thoughts like “Wouldn’t it be cool if…” into life-altering innovations that make you say “, Whoa, people use this?”

Think about it like playing hopscotch with your next big idea. Each step is essential and moves you closer to winning the game. Miss one? You’ll probably fall flat on your face and skin your knee on market rejection.

Sound fun? Ready to get started? Great! Let’s take that thing bouncing around in your head and make it real — useful even — maybe world-changing (or at least day-brightening)!

But first… we need to talk PoC, Prototype, and MVP. Knowing what they mean isn’t enough; we want you to think about learning opportunities through each stage while keeping one ear close to the ground so customers can help guide our path toward success!

The Big Picture: Why These Stages Matter

To start with, let me tell you a story. Think about building a treehouse for a moment. You wouldn’t want to order a truck full of wood and climb up the nearest oak first, would you? 

No way. 

You’d start small – testing things out, sketching designs, maybe even building a tiny model. That’s what PoC (Proof of Concept), Prototype and MVP (Minimum Viable Product) represent in product development jargon.

The Benefits of Starting Small

Starting small isn’t just being cautious; it’s being clever too. If you break your product development down into these steps, then you are:

1. Saving time and money
2. Reducing risk
3. Receiving valuable feedback early on
4. Improving chances at success

Let’s get our hands dirty with these stages, shall we?

PoC: Proving Your Concept

PoC is an abbreviation for Proof of Concept. It’s the first thing you do to bring your idea to life – think of it as a little trial to see if it stands up.

Aims of a PoC

You’re answering one question with a PoC: “Can this be done?” You want to show that your notion of technology and common sense is viable.

PoC traits

• Concentrates on one aspect or feature
• Often built internally
• Not designed for end-users
• Usually thrown away after use.

When should I use a PoC?

You might need a PoC when:

1. You’re looking into new areas of technology
2. You’re unsure if something can be achieved technically
3. It would be best to convince people your idea has potential

A real-life example of a PoC

For instance, say you’ve had the idea for an app that can recognise plants from pictures. Your PoC could be a basic program that accurately identifies several well-known types. 

It doesn’t require fancy interfaces or extra functions – it just does enough to prove that plant identification via images can work.

Prototype: Bringing Your Idea to Life

A prototype can be compared to a preliminary version of your product. It is an operational model that shows your final product's appearance and operation.

Goals of making a Prototype

When you have a prototype, it means asking yourself: “How should I do it?” not “Can I do it?” This is where you try different methods and designs.

Properties of a Prototype

• More thorough than PoC
• Often has numerous functions
• Can be presented to potential users for review
• Can be improved and developed further

When Should You Use Prototyping?

The following are situations when prototyping is necessary:

1. You need to see your product
2. You would like to test out various approaches or designs
3. You want feedback from potential clients or sponsors

Real-World Example of a Prototype

For instance, our plant recognition app could have a primary user interface in the prototype, the ability to take or upload photos, and identification capabilities for a wider variety of plants. 

It may lack polish and all planned features, but it clearly shows what the end product might look like.

MVP: Your Launchpad to Success

MVP stands for a minimum viable product. It is the simplest version of your product that you can release to early customers.

Goals of an MVP

The question with an MVP is: “Will people use this and find value in it?” It’s about validating your product in the real world.

Characteristics of an MVP

• Includes only core features
• Fully functional (though basic)
• Released to early adopters
• Designed for maximum feedback with minimum effort

When to Use an MVP

1. An MVP is appropriate when:
2. You’re ready to enter the market
3. You want to start making money
4. It would help to have user feedback from the real world to guide further development

Example of Real-World MVP

For our plant identification app, an MVP might have the core identification feature, a user-friendly interface, the ability to save identified plants, and a simple social sharing function. 

It wouldn’t have all the bells and whistles we envision for it eventually, but it would be enough to provide value for users and start gathering critical feedback.

The Journey: From PoC to Prototype to MVP

Since we have dissected all the steps, let’s examine how they come together in a product development journey.

Step 1: PoC — Testing the Waters

You start with a fantastic idea. However, instead of jumping right into it, you build a PoC. It enables you to validate your concept's technical feasibility and core logic.

Step 2: Prototype — Shaping Your Vision

After you’ve succeeded with your PoC, you go for prototyping. This is where things get real. You try different designs and functionalities and polish your vision according to feedback and insights gained during this stage.

Step 3: MVP — Making Your Market Debut

When armed with a solid prototype, it’s about time to make an MVP. A basic yet functional version of a product that delivers primary value to users serves as your ticket to the market.

Comparing PoC, Prototype, and MVP

Let's break down the key differences between these three stages:

Common Pitfalls and How to Avoid Them

1 – Mistaking a Proof of Concept for a Prototype

It’s easy to lose track of time and get caught up in your PoC, attempting to morph it into a prototype. But remember, the whole point of having a proof-of-concept is to prove one thing about your idea.

2 – Making Your Prototype Overcomplicated

Don’t worry about making the prototype perfect. It doesn’t have to be a finished product, just something that’ll show what the product can do. So keep it simple and focus on only one or two features.

3 – Making Your MVP Too Minimalistic

Although you should aim for an MVP that’s as lean as possible, ensure you don’t strip away everything users need. You still want your minimum viable product to solve their primary problem.

4 – Skipping Steps

Every step exists for a reason. Going straight from PoC to MVP may appear like skipping ahead, but it usually leads to expensive errors later.

The Role of Feedback in Each Stage

The lifeblood of product development is feedback. However, the type of feedback should change according to each stage.

Feedback during the PoC Stage

You are mainly looking for technical feedback. You need to understand whether your idea is executable and if there are any significant technical obstacles that you might need to look into.

Feedback during the Prototype Stage

Here, you seek design and usability testing. Is your product easy to use or understand? Do its features make sense? What glaring mistakes are in your way?

Feedback during the MVP Stage

When working with an MVP (minimum viable product), try getting feedback from real users in real-world situations. Does anyone find value in what you’re offering, and if not, why not? Also, how exactly are they using it, and which features do they think should be added or improved?

Adapting These Concepts to Different Industries

We have talked about these ideas mainly in software development, but they can also be helpful in other fields.

PoC, Prototype, and MVP in Manufacturing

A PoC can refer to a simulation or small-scale test of a new manufacturing production process. A prototype might be a non-functional model for a new product, while an MVP could be described as a limited production run of that exact item.

PoC, Prototype, and MVP in Service Industries

For a new service offering, conducting the PoC may involve testing the core service with a few clients. A prototype might form a roleplay or simulation of the provided service. In this case, an MVP would consist of soft launching it to a limited customer base.

PoC, Prototype, and MVP in Retail

A PoC for retail could include market research and financial projections for a new store concept. A mock-up of the store layout could function as the prototype here. For example, an MVP might be a pop-up store or a small-scale version of the complete concept.

The Financial Aspect: Budgeting for Each Stage

One of the key advantages of this staged approach is that it allows for more controlled spending. Let's look at how you might budget for each stage:

Budgeting for a PoC

PoCs are typically the least expensive stage. You often work with existing resources and focus on a single aspect of your concept. Budget for:

• Staff time
• Any necessary software or hardware
• Potential consulting fees if specialised knowledge is required

Budgeting for a Prototype

Prototypes require more resources than PoCs but are still relatively lean. Consider budgeting for:

• Design work
• Development time
• User testing sessions
• Potential revisions and iterations

Budgeting for an MVP

Your MVP budget will be more substantial as you create a market-ready product. Factor in:

• Full development costs
• Design and user experience work
• Marketing and launch expenses
• Customer support resources
• Hosting or production costs

The Human Factor: Building the Right Team

Your team can make or break your product development journey. Here's what to consider for each stage:

Team for PoC

For a PoC, you often need a small, specialised team. This might include:

• A technical lead
• One or two developers
• A project manager

Team for Prototype

Moving to the prototype stage, you'll likely need to expand your team. Consider adding:

• UX/UI designers
• Additional developers
• A product manager
• User researchers

Team for MVP

For your MVP, you're building a product for the market. Your team might grow to include:

• A full development team
• Design team
• Quality assurance testers
• Customer support staff
• Marketing specialists

Measuring Success: KPIs for Each Stage

How do you know if you're on the right track? By setting and measuring Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) for each stage.

KPIs for PoC

• Technical feasibility confirmed
• Core concept validated
• Time to complete PoC
• Resources used vs. planned

KPIs for Prototype

• User feedback scores
• Time spent on critical tasks
• Number of iterations
• Stakeholder approval ratings

KPIs for MVP

• User acquisition rate
• User retention rate
• Customer satisfaction scores
• Revenue (if applicable)
• Feature usage statistics

The Road Ahead: What Comes After MVP?

Releasing your minimum viable product is not the end; it is only the start. You should continue improving upon the MVP in a cycle which involves:

1. Collecting feedback from users
2. Examining how the product is being used
3. Deciding what new features or improvements should be worked on next
4. Creating and putting out updates
5. Then do it again.

By following this process, you will always be able to improve your creation and keep it useful for those who use it.

Wrapping Up: The Power of Staged Development

By breaking down your product development into PoC, Prototype, and MVP stages, you're not just being cautious but intelligent. This approach allows you to:

• Validate your ideas early
• Minimise risk and wasted resources
• Gather valuable feedback at every stage
• Adapt and pivot as needed
• Increase your chances of market success

Remember, every successful product you see today started as a simple idea. Following this staged approach gives your idea the best chance to grow into something remarkable.

Frequently Asked Questions