According to recent statistics, Companies that implement top design practices grow twice as fast as the industry benchmark growth rate. Well who does not want to reach the top? When a new product is brought into the market, there are numerous factors that are to be considered, among those factors, MVP design for a startup is an integral and undoubtedly a very crucial part of the process.
Confused what is an MVP? MVP stands for Minimum Viable Product, you can simply understand it as an early version of your final product. But is making an MVP enough? It is said that high-quality MVP design brings you halfway to the success of your future app.
In this blog, we will cover why MVP is so crucial for your product development process and how UI UX design for MVP can become a blessing for your startup. 83% of consumers believe that a seamless user experience across all devices is essential, thus this read will ensure that you are fully aware about the importance of user experience and what are the ways that will help you achieve it.
What is MVP and What is Its Importance?
The term MVP which is Minimum Viable Product is self-explanatory itself, it simply means a smaller version of your future thought application with minimum but valuable functions.
Creating MVP design for a startup is always advisable because at this point of time, the application is at its maximum risk of failure if detected with potential errors and bugs. But this might make you wonder how will the minimum viable product save you from future hazards?
Well, let’s have a better understanding at this, so basically this MVP will act as a testing version for your future app, as in it will be available to a specific targeted audience who will after using share their insightful feedback in regards to the application. By gathering this feedback you now have the ability to estimate the future functionality of the app.
Now you may question, creating an MVP will include substantial cost and ultimately strain on the budget ? Honestly, it wont, think of it as a risk-saving cost, if an application with a single feature gets launched in the market, it might be successful or it might result in a failure, which will then result in financial loss as well as poor user experience.
According to data, 80% of people are willing to pay more for a better user experience, this means for any startup providing satisfactory user experience should be a priority. Hence MVP product design will help you to achieve this by allowing you to analyze the product before actually releasing it in the market, and in bonus you can now save yourself from wasting your precious capital and time, a win-win situation isn’t it ?
Importance of UI UX Design in MVP Development
If you were unsure about the importance of MVP, by now we are sure that you must be very well aware about it. Honestly, do you think that simply creating an MVP is enough? There are thousands of such MVP’s created daily and all with a similar thought process of developing a software that will stand out in the market.
As Rome was not built in a day, similarly developing an application is not a one person or a one day job, it takes a massive amount of effort and time. From laying a basic design structure to adding quality features to having best mvp development services for your startup, there are numerous factors that lead to its success.
Then what are the MVP best practices that will make your application attractive and unique? Let me divert your attention to a very crucial element in the journey of ideation to finalisation, that is designing. Designing does not involve adding colour schemes and tones to your application, instead it is a fundamental two part process involving UI and UX design.
Now why better UI UX design should be a priority for MVP? Let’s start with the basics again, UX stands for user experience, it means it focuses on prioritising simple and clear navigation for the user that makes the application working smooth and reliable. Next is UI which stands for User Interface, it includes working on the colour, icons and animations of the application. Working on the UI element ensures that a good first impression will be passed on to the user.
Hence a balance between the UI UX design of the application will ensure that you are providing a seamless user experience. This can be attained by majorly focusing on two aspects, firstly following a proper process to develop a MVP Software Design and secondly you have be very wise while hiring UI UX designers, importance of having a dedicated team for your MVP development has its own advantages. You can also have more insights on this by reading this blog Importance of Tech Stack for Startups.
The cycle does not ends here, gathering MVP feedback will help you to figure out areas of improvement and those mistakes can be now avoided while developing the final version of the software.
Half knowledge is bad knowledge, let’s dive into the topic further and know about some of the best UI UX practices for designing MVPs.
UI/UX Best Practices for Designing MVP
Here are the best practices on how to successfully implement design strategies while designing MVP.
Research and Planning
- User Research – after launching your MVP to the targeted audience, be interactive with your users, gather feedback about the working of the app, compare your MVP with the other applications in the market, you’ll get a hunch about the future success of your application.
- Define User Persona – In this step, users can be divided into different segments on the basis of their demographic location. This will also improve your product marketing and user preferences can be added into the application accordingly.
- User Journeys- Rule out data by making observations regularly and improving them regularly, this way you will always be one step ahead in the market.
Simplify and Design
- Focus on core features – While developing MVP, it is not practically possible to install all the features in it that you think of having in your finalised product. Hence, you need to prioritize your core features, by core features, we mean without which the application will be incomplete.
- Minimalistic Design – A complex design makes it difficult for users to understand, develop a simple but innovative design that appeals to the users and is also unique from others. For doing so, you may have your own in-house team or you may outsource your work to a dedicated team who will have their sole focus on your MVP development, this will also help you to save your time and efforts as now you just have to focus on the operations rest is handled by them. You may also refer to this blog for gaining some more insight Hire an Offshore Development Team for Startups.
- Consistent Layout – Avoid having a complex layout, instead focus on developing a simple and systematic layout that is easily understandable to the targeted audience.
Usability and Accessibility
- Intuitive Navigation – By initiative design we understand, creating a product that is easy to use. Easy navigation will ensure that customers are able to use the application without much effort and tutoring.
- Responsive Design – Before launching your product, ensure that it is usable across various platforms that is Android or IOS without any hindrance. Focus on developing an interface that is adaptable for the device layout.
- Accessibility Standards – Web accessibility standards means designing an application or content in such a way that it is accessible for all easily. It is important for us to understand that all the users will not be similar, thus your application should be handy enough for people with disabilities as well.
Visual Design of Product
- Brand Identity – Branding is another important aspect in your product development cycle. Your brand name will make you unique in the market and give you an identity among all the other competitors of the market.
- Visual Hierarchy – In the corporate world, hierarchy refers to a systematic sequence of authority from top to bottom. In an application, visual hierarchy refers to an arrangement that is made for the viewer’s eye, in other ways it will act as a guide who will take your user through specific content.
- Feedback and Affordance- Make sure that the feedback gathered is worked upon and visible to your users. Keep your audience engaged so that they do not bore out, this can be done by having interactive sessions with your users.
Testing and Iteration
- Prototyping – In this step, developers create a working model that will give you an idea of how your functions of the application will work. They also enable them to develop basic layouts that are clear and systematic.
- User Testing – Improvisation in any product is very important for you to stand out in the market. This will only be achieved after you are done gathering feedback from your users and you start working on the areas of improvement.
- Iterative Improvements – Iterative process refers to the practice of building and improving a project or a product. It allows you to make changes in the product as you move forward, this will ensure that you’re not producing something which is not likeable. In simple words, it means repeating a process with the goal of improvement.
Case Studies and Examples of MVP
Below mentioned are two examples of successful startups that leveraged good UI/UX in their MVP.
Example 1: One example of a startup that successfully leveraged good UI/UX in their MVP is Airbnb. In its early stages, Airbnb focused on creating a seamless, user-friendly interface that made it easy for users to find and book accommodations.
The design emphasized simplicity, with clear navigation and intuitive controls, which significantly enhanced the user experience. By prioritizing visual appeal and functionality, Airbnb not only attracted users but also built a strong brand identity, setting the foundation for its rapid growth and market success.
Example 2: Another compelling example is Slack, which revolutionized workplace communication through its innovative UI/UX design. Slack’s MVP showcased a clean, clutter-free interface with features like threaded conversations, search functionality, and seamless integration with other tools.
By focusing on user-centric design principles, such as ease of use and efficient workflows, Slack significantly improved team collaboration and productivity. This approach to UI/UX not only enhanced user satisfaction but also accelerated its adoption across various industries, establishing Slack as a leading communication platform.
Conclusion
According to a recent report by Forrester, a well-designed user interface could raise your website’s conversion rate by up to 200%, and a better UX design could yield conversion rates up to 400%. Thus by now you must be very well aware about the importance of incorporating UX/UI design when you are designing your MVP.
Learning and improving can be your best friends in time of need, rely on them and grow each day.
A good supportive partner can be your secret ingredient for success, connect with CyanicLab if you are one step away from building your next MVP. We believe in prioritising client needs and user satisfaction, by knowing your aim we will ensure that we are catering to your needs and help you with the best possible resolution. Just focus on being the best and leave the rest to us.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q. Should I build our startup’s MVP as a web app?
Yes, you can build your startup’s MVP as a web app.
It depends on your business requirement whether your business needs first a web app and then build MVP as a web app.
Q. How do you begin your UI/UX process for a startup?
To begin the UI/UX process for a startup, start by researching your target audience and their needs. Define your product goals and create user personas. Develop wireframes and prototypes, and test them with real users to gather feedback. Iterate on your designs based on this feedback, focusing on creating an intuitive and visually appealing interface.
Q. What are some UI/UX tips that significantly impact users with minimal designer effort?
Some effective UI/UX tips include simplifying navigation with clear labels and intuitive icons, ensuring mobile responsiveness for all devices, and maintaining a consistent design throughout.