Here’s a term that you are going to need when designing your MVP.
It’s the acronym “YAGNI” (and it is an acronym, not an initialism) – it stands for You Ain’t Gonna Need It.
This is actually a term from software engineering, but I am stealing it for all of you non-technology founders out there because the principle will be helpful when your product design work.
In its original meaning, the purpose of YAGNI is to stop you from overengineering. Subverting that for MVPs, its purpose is to focus on the “minimum” part of the MVP and stop you from building things that people won’t need.
In your product, you will have major features and minor features. Major features should have a YAGNI test, by which you need to go and find your tame customers and check out your reasoning before you commit development time to it.
For minor features, this is your flare, and as a product designer you need to develop and trust your instincts.
So – major things, ask yourself “YAGNI”, and test your reasoning. Minor things, assume you are gonna need it, and trust your gut.