Forget MVP… you need a MAP
I used to believe in minimum viable products (MVP) but I don’t anymore. I think that minimum awesome product (MAP) is a better idea. Being minimal is a prime directive for v1. So is being awesome. Awesome to you, awesome to your team, awesome to your customers, awesome to the world.
If it isn’t awesome — if it doesn’t make people go “I didn’t think that was possible!?” or “How come no one thought of that before!?” — then why the hell would you want to spend your time building a company around it or trying to convince people to invest in it? How do you expect to keep people coming back for more and sharing it with their friends/colleagues if it doesn’t impress?
MVP over-emphasizes minimality. If you are really concerned with doing too much, then call it an IRFMMAP (I-Really-F’ing-Mean-Minimum Awesome Product). What does “viable” really do for you? Of course it should be viable; might as well say it shouldn’t break.
Update: Just came across Adam Rifkin’s take on this. [Dec 14th, 2011]
