When choosing a startup UI/UX designer, the first goal should not be to produce as many screens as possible. MVP design requires a start that is comprehensive enough to test the core value of the product but limited enough not to delay learning. If it's not clear which question to answer when working with a freelance designer, the list of features grows quickly.
Select a user and a critical task
You don't have to cover all potential users of the product in the same detail in the first release. First write down who you want to complete which job. In a B2B product, the goals of the team manager and the end user may be different. Determining which role the first flow belongs to simplifies navigation and authorization decisions.
Do not confuse prototype with MVP
The clickable prototype can be used to discuss and observe a flow; It should not be assumed that it contains real data, security and running operation. MVP, on the other hand, can be a product that works within certain limits. Design delivery, code development, and operation of the product should be written as separate scopes.
Consider roles and states early in the SaaS interface
SaaS interface design is not just a beautiful dashboard. If there is no data on first login, the user is unauthorized, or is waiting for a team invitation, what to show should be planned. The first version may have few features; However, skipping the basics of the selected feature may make the product incomprehensible.
Do not initialize every request
Evaluate new feature suggestions by expected benefit, questions to be learned, and development dependency. If the team can't explain why they want a display, research the need first. The priority list can be updated throughout the design, but the impact of the change on time and existing work should be visible.
We can test an idea with Prototype design and plan roles and data relationships in SaaS and dashboard design. Sharing the first user task is a sufficient start for UI/UX work that will proceed in Istanbul or remotely.
Separate the investor and customer's question on the startup site
The product user knows what he can do and how to get started; The investor may want to see how the problem, solution and progress are explained. It is not necessary to include both audiences in the same long homepage text. Plan the product page around the user task and the presentation around verifiable business information.
In a SaaS product, demo, free trial, and meeting request are different entries. Do not present a feature that is not yet working as if it is ready. Information architecture guide helps identify page roles, UX audit guide helps identify where early users are having difficulty.
Frequently asked questions
Which screens should be included in the first version of MVP design?
The screens and their critical states required for the selected user to complete their basic task should be captured. Keeping secondary features in a separate list makes it visible which assumption the initial version is testing.
Is the clickable prototype a working MVP replacement?
It tests the idea of prototype flow and interaction; It does not automatically verify the data, performance and integration behavior of the running product. Plan separate learnings from design testing and actual product use.
What design process should be followed for MVP?
The beginning of the question of what is MVP and how to design it is the assumption that will be tested in the first version. How do you design the first product for your startup: first select a single user group and the task it will complete; then prototype the shortest flow that runs this task. One of the design mistakes early-stage startups make is expanding an untested idea with too many features.
In the question of how to design a product to be presented to investors, separate the presentation prototype from the working software. The prototype describes the experience; It is not a substitute for user verification or proof of technical feasibility. For SaaS product design, roles, authority, data and error situations should be evaluated alongside the basic flow.
What is MVP, how is it designed?
MVP is product coverage sufficient to test the initial assumption. A prototype can be a representation prepared to test or describe the experience; It is not a replacement for a working product. When thinking about how to design the first product for your startup, first determine what behavior you want to observe. “Let the user see all our features” is not a measurable task; “so he can make his first date” is a more obvious start.
What design process should be followed for MVP?
First write down the current findings and unknowns. Draw the flow with the user's starting point, critical decisions, and completion step. Evaluate information order with low detail placements; then make a prototype with real content. In the test, instead of telling where the button is, describe the task and observe where the user is standing.
For example, in a reservation product, failure to find a suitable time should be planned as well as date selection. If this situation stops the user, it is not a small detail to be pushed to the next version. Separating the initial release list into “required,” “later,” and “not yet known” ensures that the founder and developer see the same scope.
You can turn these steps into deliverables with Startup design budget. Investor prototype guide covers the scope required for demonstration separately.
