The key is to decide when perfect is needed, and when good is good enough. The best is the enemy of the good. Done is better than perfect. The enemy of good is not done, it’s not good enough, and done is the best you can do.
Minimum Viable Product (MVP)
MVP stands for either “minimum valuable product” or “minimum viable product”
- It’s the release of a product that consists of the smallest number of features possible to provide value to users
- Releasing an MVP-something good enough, but not perfect-allows you to get feedback earlier and start profiting from the product sooner
Leadership
Aaron J. Nurick, author of The Good Enough Manager, says there are three types of managers: Good enough, Not good enough, and über
- To be a good enough manager, you must act as a teacher and mentor, help employees find their strengths, and give them the freedom to fail
When MVP Isn’t the Right Approach
Sometimes, something is better than nothing
- Rand Fishkin argues against the idea that product developers should always start with an MVP
- He tells the story of launching an MVP for a new Moz tool called Spam Score
- Ultimately, the decision to launch an MVP did more damage than good
- They conducted extensive customer research to find out exactly what people wanted and needed from a tool of that kind, but what people really wanted was an exceptional product
- So they built and launched an MVP instead
What are the implications of imperfection?
If something isn’t perfect, what implications does that have on the end-user? Does it make the product unusable, fail to provide ample value, or does it just create minor inconveniences
Is there another product that does this thing that other people are already using?
If your product is the first of its kind-if there’s nothing else out there that does what your product does-an MVP is the way to go
- Putting an early version of your product out there will help you measure demand, and it might even help you find a few evangelists who will stick with your product and help you promote it as you and develop even-better versions
Writing
Micro-editing is editing just enough to complete an idea or sentence that makes sense
- Turn off all spelling and grammar checking tools in Google Docs
- When you’re finished with your draft, invite the squigglies back to play
Applying for jobs
If your qualifications are good enough, it might mean you’re a perfect fit for the job.
- Think about the specifics of the task at hand before deciding what’s worth perfection and what just needs to get done
- Perfection may actually be the enemy of success
Are you building a new product for a new company or an add-on product/feature for an established, well-used company?
MVPs can often work really well for early-stage companies who need to test assumptions
- If you can rely on a group of supportive customers who understand that the product isn’t designed to be perfect yet, you can use what you learn to work toward something perfect
- However, once you’ve reached a certain scale, perception and reputation are huge parts of your current and future success
Can you find beta testers for the tool?
A beta release may help you determine whether or not good is good enough
