Define Your MVP Scope: A Practical Worksheet

Most ideas start too broad. A good MVP is a 4–6 week slice that proves core value with real users—no more, no less. Use this worksheet to turn a big vision into a focused, buildable scope. It’s the same approach we use in our MVP‑in‑a‑Box engagements (4 weeks for web, 6 for Web3).

What is an MVP (for this exercise)?

The smallest product that lets a single primary user complete one end‑to‑end job, produces learnings you can act on, and is safe to evolve.

1) One‑line value proposition

• Template: For [target user] who [pain], [product] helps them [job/outcome] so they can [business result].

WHY: A sharp statement kills features that don’t serve the core promise and makes trade‑offs easy.

Example (Meetly – lightweight meeting scheduler): For solo consultants who waste time scheduling meetings, Meetly lets clients book available slots so they cut back‑and‑forth emails and start sooner.

2) Primary user and top 3 jobs

• Who is the primary user persona?
• What are the top three jobs they must achieve? (verbs!)
• Which single job will we validate first? (pick one)

WHY: Picking a single job avoids “kitchen‑sink” scopes and accelerates useful feedback.

Example (Meetly):

• Persona: Solo consultant
• Top jobs: set availability; share booking link; confirm bookings
• Chosen job: client books a slot via a link

3) Happy‑path storyboard (≤7 steps)

• Define ≤7 steps from first touch to outcome. If it’s more than seven, you’re probably over‑scoping.

WHY: A short storyboard exposes unnecessary steps and highlights the minimum UI you must build.

Example (Meetly):

1. Sign up and verify email
2. Define weekly availability (days, hours)
3. Create a booking link
4. Share link with a client
5. Client selects a time
6. Both see a confirmation page
7. Optional: download .ics file

4) Must‑have vs later (MoSCoW)

• Must: absolutely required to complete the happy path.
• Should: improves trust or speed; can ship in week 3–4.
• Could: nice‑to‑have; backlog for v1.1.
• Won’t (now): explicitly out of scope; prevents scope creep.

WHY: MoSCoW creates a shared language to keep v1 focused without losing sight of the future.

Example (Meetly):

• Must: create booking link; define availability; view bookings
• Should: email confirmations; basic timezone support
• Could: Google Calendar sync; reminders; custom branding
• Won’t: payments; team accounts; advanced roles/permissions

5) Success metrics (v1)

• Activation: % of sign‑ups who complete the happy path.
• Time‑to‑value: minutes from first action to outcome.
• Qualitative: top 3 quotes from 5 pilot users.

WHY: Clear week‑4 targets make it obvious if the MVP is working and what to change next.

Example (Meetly):

• Activation: 40% of new users create a link and get ≥1 booking
• Time‑to‑value: ≤15 minutes from signup to first booking
• Qualitative: “I scheduled my first client in minutes”

6) Non‑goals and constraints

• Non‑goals: what we will not attempt in v1.
• Constraints: compliance, budgets, platforms, chains, devices, languages.
• Guardrails: performance floor, security basics, reliability (simple!).

WHY: Non‑goals prevent scope creep; constraints avoid late surprises.

Example (Meetly):

• Non‑goals: payments, multi‑user orgs, deep calendar sync
• Constraints: web‑only; budget 4 weeks; GDPR‑friendly data handling
• Guardrails: p95 page load <1.5s; basic auth; 99.5% uptime target

7) Integrations plan

• Choose the lightest option that proves value:

• Zero‑integration mock (fake data) for usability tests.

• Thin adapter to 1 provider with an error fallback.

• Full integration only if the happy path depends on it.

WHY: Heavy integrations slow learning and add fragile dependencies too early.

Example (Meetly):

• Start: no external calendar; offer .ics download
• Next: thin Google Calendar adapter for confirmed bookings
• Later: real‑time availability sync

8) Acceptance criteria (write 3)

• Use simple Given/When/Then for your chosen happy path and two edge cases. Keep each to two lines max.

WHY: Clear acceptance tests speed development and review.

Example (Meetly):

• Given a user with set availability, when a client selects a slot, then the booking appears in the user’s dashboard.
• Given a slot was booked, when another client clicks it, then they see an unavailable message.
• Given a booking exists, when the user cancels it, then the client sees a cancellation notice.

9) Risks and cheapest tests

• Biggest assumption about users? Test with a Figma prototype first.
• Biggest technical unknown? Spike behind a feature flag or mock.
• Biggest go‑to‑market(GTM) risk? Pre‑sell or run a concierge pilot.

WHY: Fast, cheap tests protect the timeline and reveal direction before you overbuild.

Example (Meetly):

• User assumption: clients will self‑serve; test with a fake booking page and 5 users
• Technical unknown: timezone handling; spike with a popular library
• GTM risk: traffic acquisition; pre‑sell via a landing page + ads budget

10) Fit to a fixed package

• Web MVP‑in‑a‑Box($10k)*: 4 weeks, includes a 2‑hour requirements workshop, clickable Figma, core web app, deployment,documentation, and one in‑scope feedback iteration.
• Web3 MVP‑in‑a‑Box($15k)*: 6 weeks, adds a smart contract + dApp front‑end, wallet integration, deployment to your chosen EVM chain.

*Current prices as of September 2025. Prices may increase on Q4 2025.

Out of scope for v1: ongoing feature work, heavy branding/marketing sites, complex custom integrations, native mobile apps, multi‑chain beyond the core.

How to use this worksheet

Block 60–90 minutes. Fill it with your team. If your happy path doesn’t fit on one page, cut scope until it does. Bring this to our free call—we’ll pressure‑test it and turn it into a concrete 4–6 week plan.

Ready to move fast? Book a free call and let’s turn the worksheet into a live MVP.

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