POC vs MVP: What’s The Difference, And Which One To Choose?

Some businesses have a knack for launching products that manage to gather market interest, and others do not. But it doesn’t always make sense to keep trying to find the right product.

There are two ways to launch your product — you can either build an MVP (minimum viable product) or conduct a POC (proof of concept). It’s a crucial decision because one will be less risky than the other.

POC vs MVP — what are they, and which one do you choose? Startups must decide between a proof-of-concept (POC) and a minimum viable product (MVP). This article investigates how these two approaches compare and offers a simple explanation for selecting the right one.

Let’s get started!

What is a Minimum Viable Product (MVP)?

A minimum viable product (MVP) is a product with just enough features to satisfy early customers and provide feedback for future development.

In other words, MVP is an experiment that helps you learn whether your idea has market potential or not. The goal of an MVP is to test the concept as fast as possible, with minimum investment and risk.

The MVP is used to test assumptions about your target audience, their needs and pain points, and what you plan to do to help them. This allows you to validate whether or not your business idea is worth pursuing further by getting early feedback from potential customers and users.

The purpose of an MVP is to test the idea you have in mind with real customers. Before investing effort and resources, you should make sure your project will be worthwhile.

What is a Proof of Concept (POC)?

Proof of Concept (POC) is a small and quick project that allows you to test the viability of an idea. It helps you understand whether your idea is worth further investment or if it’s better to abandon it altogether.

A POC can be as simple as a prototype or a mockup. The goal is to get honest feedback from real users and see how they react to your product idea.

Proof of Concept (POC) is used in many fields, including technology and business. It refers to a preliminary test or study to determine if a new product, process, or concept is viable.

In software development, POCs are often used to test whether a new application would solve the problem it claims.

Minimum Viable Product vs Proof of Concept

POC and MVP are two terms that are used interchangeably in the startup industry. However, there are some critical differences between the two.

• Intent

A POC intends to test an idea’s viability. You might use a POC to see if there’s enough customer interest in a new product or whether there are technical issues with your proposed solution.

But unlike a POC, an MVP is designed to test the viability of an idea by putting it into action. In other words, an MVP is intended for real users and customers—not just for internal reviews by your team members or investors.

• Phasing

Another main difference between POC and MVP is that POC refers to an early stage of startup development, while MVP describes a later stage. POCs are generally used internally within your company, whereas MVPs are used externally by customers and end users.

• Time Frame

The time required for creation is the primary distinction between proof-of-concept and minimum viable product. A POC can be created in days or weeks, while an MVP may take months to build. An MVP requires more planning and development effort because it includes all the features that a final version would need.

• Aims

POC is used to build confidence among stakeholders or customers that the idea will work once it’s built into a more extensive system. However, the goal of an MVP is not only to prove that the concept works but also to start generating revenue as soon as possible.

POC Vs MVP: When to Use Which?

When investing in a business, one of the most frequent concerns is: “which is better, a minimum viable product or proof of concept?”

The answer depends on your product and your business model.

Follow these suggestions to figure out which one is best for you!

• If you’re building a social network, an app that allows users to find friends in new cities or anything else that requires a user base to grow organically, go with MVP. You can always add POC later if needed.
• If your product requires physical goods or inventory management, go with POC. You’ll be able to see what works before committing resources to scale up production or fulfillment.
• Moreover, MVP has more features than POC, while POC has only some basic functionalities to demonstrate the feasibility of an idea or solution. If your vision needs more than just a few basic features, it’s better to create an MVP as soon as possible. However, if it doesn’t require much functionality, it might be better to start with a POC.

Final Words

Starting with MVP allows you to build a product fast and test its value proposition on early adopters. POC is better for showing what features you will implement without creating them.

In this article, we have discussed the POC vs MVP. We hope that the information in this article will help you decide which one to choose concerning your project needs.

It’s up to you to decide, but using both is always there—it’s still an efficient way of doing things if you plan it right.
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