Webster's Defines "Viable" As...


Actually, I didn't ask Webster. I asked Bard who said the following:

"The word "viable" has several meanings, but they all share the same basic idea of being able to exist or operate successfully.

In biology, a viable organism is one that is capable of living and reproducing. In business, a viable product or service is one that is likely to be successful in the marketplace. In politics, a viable candidate is one who has a realistic chance of winning an election.

Here are some of the synonyms for viable:

  • feasible
  • achievable
  • doable
  • possible
  • practicable
  • realizable
  • workable

Here are some examples of how the word "viable" can be used in a sentence:

  • "The company's new product is not yet viable, but they are working on making it more marketable."
  • "The candidate's campaign is not viable because they do not have enough funding."
  • "The patient's condition is not viable, and they are expected to pass away soon."

I hope this helps! Let me know if you have any other questions."

Based on the lively debate I witnessed on LinkedIn today, I am not sure this definition is helpful, Bard. But thank you.

I think that the concept of Most Viable Product is way too subjective, so I've stopped using the term. I've stopped using the words Agile and SCRUM, too, so why not?

But let me back up a moment. I was inspired to write this post because of a debate I witnessed in some LinkedIn comments around this image:



The debate was about the whether the second row of images or the third truly represents the concept of MVP.  I contend that the argument is a waste of time.  Each approach can be valid.  

Personally, I like a versioning approach, which might match more closely with the last line of images:

0.5 - Prototype or early demo of a hypothesis that can be tested in a controlled way with a target user or group. This might be the car being pushed, depending on what's being hypothesized.
Version 0.5 may need to go back to the drawing board more than once, and there could be 0.x versions that represent everything from a drawing to output from a hackathon to a proof of concept.

0.9 - Fully usable version that provides actual benefit to an early adopter (very patient) user. 1.0 - Fleshed out production release with all the basics based on 0.9 feedback. 2.0 - 1.0 + Discoverability, Onboarding, Advanced functions, and changes based on feedback.

Even so, I think the middle image could be a valid approach based on a jobs-to-do mentality, but, again, MVP might not be helpful language. I think it's more like an evolution of a product portfolio or a product company as whole. It's also just a metaphor that could be applied to a single product. 
  • Skateboard: I need to get somewhere faster than walking. 
  • Scooter: I need to do it more safely. 
  • Bike: I need to do it more easily. 
  • Motorcycle: I need to do it more quickly. 
  • Car: I need to do it with my family.
In short, this serves as a reminder that if we choose to use the overexposed term MVP, let's be very sure that our teams have a common understanding of what we mean when we say it.  Use plain language.  Don't make assumptions.  Life will be simpler.

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