How to Prioritize Features in Your MVP: A Lean Startup Guide

🚀 Building Lean: How to Prioritize Features in Your MVP 

When you're launching a new product, the temptation to build “just one more feature” is real—and dangerous. Many startups fall into the trap of overbuilding before they’ve validated anything. The key to launching fast and learning even faster? A  Lean MVP (Minimum Viable Product) . 

Here’s how to prioritize features in your MVP without drowning in feature creep or sacrificing user value. 

🧠 What is an MVP (Minimum Viable Product)? 

An MVP is the  simplest version of your product that delivers value to users and collects the  maximum amount of validated learning . It’s not about launching a broken or incomplete app—it’s about building something focused, fast, and purposeful. 

“If you’re not embarrassed by the first version of your product, you’ve launched too late.” 
— Reid Hoffman, LinkedIn Founder 

🎯 Step 1: Define Your Core Problem 

Start with  one clear problem you're solving. Not five. Not three.  One. 

Ask yourself: 

• Who is our primary user?
• What is their biggest pain point?
• What would be a “must-have” solution, not a “nice-to-have”? 

👉  Clarity kills scope creep. 

✅ Step 2: Define Success for the MVP 

Success isn’t about perfection. It’s about learning. 

Set a measurable goal like: 

• Getting 100 beta users to sign up
• Proving a 10% conversion rate from free to paid
• Validating user interest via waitlist signups 

This gives you a  North Star when prioritizing features. 

✂️ Step 3: Ruthlessly Prioritize Features 

Use proven frameworks to decide what goes in and what stays out: 

1. MoSCoW Method 

• Must-Have : Without it, the product fails to function
• Should-Have : Important but not critical for launch
• Could-Have : Nice bonuses that can wait
• Won’t-Have (for now): Save for future roadmap 

2. RICE Scoring 

• Reach : How many users will benefit?
• Impact : How much will it improve their experience?
• Confidence : How sure are you of the results?
• Effort : How long will it take? 

Score and sort accordingly. 

🧩 Step 4: Build Only the Essentials 

Focus on your  Core Value Proposition . 

If you're building a food delivery app: 

• ✅ Must-Haves: Search restaurants, place order, track delivery
• ❌ Not yet: Loyalty programs, reviews, chat with drivers 

The leaner your MVP, the faster you get to real feedback. 

📊 Step 5: Test, Learn, Iterate 

Launch to a small group. Collect feedback. Watch how users actually behave—not just what they say. 

Ask: 

• Which features do they love?
• Which ones are ignored?
• Where do they get stuck? 

Use this feedback loop to shape your next sprint. 

🛠 Tools That Help Prioritization 

• Trello / ClickUp / Notion – For organizing features into priority tiers
• Aha! / Productboard – For product roadmapping and user feedback 

• Typeform / Hotjar / Mixpanel – For gathering insights and behavior analytics 

   

Building lean isn’t about doing less—it’s about doing  what matters most . A well-prioritized MVP gets you to market faster, reduces wasted effort, and gives you the data you need to scale smart. 

🎯 Remember:  Every feature you add is a question. Make sure you’re building answers that matter.