MVP Scoping Framework — Ship the Smallest Valuable Thing
How we cut scope without cutting value: user-story slicing, fake doors, and fixed-price milestone design.
1. Slice by User Outcome
Scope horizontal slices (one complete user journey) not layers (all backend, then all frontend). A thin end-to-end slice demoed in week two beats a thick backend nobody can see.
Rank every story by revenue-risk: what must be true for the first paying user? Everything else is phase two by default.
2. Validate Before Building
Fake-door tests (landing page + waitlist), concierge MVPs (manual backend), and clickable prototypes each answer one risky assumption for 1% of build cost. Run at least one before scoping.
Kill criteria upfront: define what evidence would stop the project. Teams without kill criteria build regardless of signal.
3. Fixed-Price Milestones
Structure payment around demoable milestones (30/40/30), each independently valuable. If priorities shift after milestone two, you own working software — not sunk cost.
Change requests get priced within 48 hours with trade-off options (swap, extend, defer). No silent scope creep in either direction.
Frequently asked questions
How small can an MVP be?
One user, one job, one payment. If it needs three user types on day one, it is not an MVP — pick the paying one.
What do MVPs typically cost with you?
$8,000–$25,000 fixed-price depending on roles, payments, and integrations. Discovery call produces the itemised quote.