J
J. Marsh
Lead Editor, Startup & Product
Updated
These terms are used interchangeably and shouldn't be. Each answers a different question, and picking the wrong format wastes weeks. Here is how to choose.
Proof of concept: can it be done?
A proof of concept answers a technical or operational question. It is usually internal, throwaway, and built to retire risk before larger investment.
Prototype: how should it feel?
A prototype answers a design question. It can be paper, clickable, or interactive. The point is to test the experience with users, not to ship.
MVP: will people pay or use it?
A minimum viable product answers a market question. It is the smallest real product that produces a learning loop with paying or active users.
Key takeaways
- -Pick the format that matches the question you need answered
- -POCs are about feasibility, prototypes about experience, MVPs about demand
- -Most teams skip the POC and the prototype and overbuild the MVP
Frequently asked questions
- Can one artifact do all three?
- Rarely. Trying to do all three at once almost always slows down learning.
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