From Idea to MVP: How to Launch Your Digital Product in 90 Days
The graveyard of Startups and Corporate Spin-offs is filled with “perfect” products that nobody used. Entrepreneurs and executives spend months (or years) polishing details, adding features, and seeking technical excellence in a product that the market has not yet validated.
The risk is not that the technology will fail; the risk is building something nobody wants.
To mitigate this risk, we have MVP development (Minimum Viable Product). It’s not about launching an incomplete or buggy product, but about launching the most essential version of your idea to learn from real users as soon as possible. If your goal is to launch app fast with financial intelligence, the 90-day cycle is your best ally.
Below, we present the roadmap to go from PowerPoint to the real market in three months.
What is an MVP Really? (Busting the Myth)
There is a common confusion: thinking that an MVP is a poorly made “beta” version. False.
Successful MVP development must be functional, reliable, and, above all, it must solve the user’s main problem.
Lean Insight: Don’t build a car without an engine and doors. Build a skateboard. Both move you from point A to point B, but the skateboard requires a fraction of the budget and allows you to test if the user likes moving on wheels.
The goal of the MVP is digital product validation. It is a scientific experiment designed to answer: “Should we build this?” before spending millions on “Can we build this?”.
Phase 1: Definition and Scope (Days 1-30)
The number one mistake in MVP development is “Feature Creep” (the accumulation of functions).
“Since we are at it, let’s add a chat, and a forum, and a points system…” Stop!
In the first month, your job is to subtract, not add.
- Identify the Pain: What is the unique problem you are solving?
- Define the Core Solution: What is the minimum functionality needed to solve that pain?
- Prototyping: Design low-fidelity flows (Wireframes).
If you can’t explain the value of your app in one sentence, your scope is too broad for an MVP.
Phase 2: Agile Development (Days 31-75)
This is where the code comes in. To keep the promise to launch app fast, you cannot use Waterfall methodologies. You need Agile development.
At Koud, during this MVP development phase, we focus on:
- Robust Backend: Security and scalable database (even if the app is small, the foundation must be solid).
- Essential Frontend: A clean interface that guides the user to the main action (purchase, registration, usage).
- Integrations: Use existing tools (Payment APIs like Stripe, Google Maps) instead of reinventing the wheel.
Speed is key. Every week you spend developing without feedback is a week of accumulated risk.
Phase 3: Testing and Deployment (Days 76-90)
The last sprint is not for adding new features; it is for ensuring quality.
Digital product validation requires the user to trust the tool.
- QA Testing: Eliminate critical bugs that block usage.
- Analytics: Implement measurement tools (Mixpanel, Google Analytics). Without data, there is no validation.
- Soft Launch: Release the product to a controlled group of users (Early Adopters).
The Fear of Launching “Small”
It is natural for an executive to fear that an MVP development looks “poor” compared to the competition. But remember: Facebook started just as a university directory. Uber was just for ordering black luxury cars in San Francisco.
They started by solving one thing exceptionally well.
By managing to launch app fast, you gain the most valuable asset in the world: Real Feedback.
- If users love it, you invest more (Scalability).
- If they ignore it, you pivot (Change strategy) without having spent the annual budget.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much does an average MVP development cost?
It varies by complexity, but a well-scoped MVP usually costs between 20% and 30% of the budget of a full product. The idea is to invest just enough to validate.
Is an MVP scalable or will I have to scrap it and start over?
If built with good architecture (as we do at Koud), it is totally scalable. MVP development lays the groundwork; modules are then added on top of that solid structure. It is not disposable code; it is foundational code.
How do I know if my digital product validation was successful?
By defining KPIs (Key Performance Indicators) before starting. Don’t look only at downloads; look at retention (do they come back to use the app?) and willingness to pay.
Conclusion
The market does not reward those with the best idea; it rewards those who execute better and faster. Staying in the planning phase for fear of launching is the surest way to fail.
MVP development is your passport to enter the real game. In 90 days, you could have a PowerPoint presentation, or you could have real users paying for your service. The choice is yours.
Have an idea and the clock is ticking?
At Koud.mx we are experts in transforming concepts into functional digital products. Schedule a “Discovery” session and let’s define your MVP today.