What Is The Difference Between A Prototype, An MVP And A Final Product?

Nowadays, it’s possible to create mobile and web apps with just a few clicks! If you’ve decided to build your app using an online app builder, you’ll come across a page that outlines information about key deliverables and performance indicators.

You may be confused at the bevy of options, as the terms ‘prototype’ and ‘MVP’ can point towards the same thing. However, to ensure the best quality for your app, you need to invest a nominal amount and avail this great offer.

In the article below, we’ll explore the differences between a prototype, minimum viable product, and the final product. This will help you realize the value of each step in the app development process. It will also help you make decisions for your app’s future.

Prototype

Let’s take a look at the prototype stage first.

At this stage of your app development process, much of the content and elements that are included are subject to change by the time the final product rolls out. Before this, you have your Product Roadmap and Design stages.

This stage is essentially a vertical slice of your vision, and it is typically used to showcase a potential list of features that the developers hope to include.

It will bring to life what you have worked on in the previous two stages and allow you to explore the possibilities of your app.

Minimum Viable Product

A minimum viable product is an evolved version of the prototype stage. Whereas in the previous stage you were working more with concepts, this stage aims to formulate the basic framework of your app.

The key difference between the two is that the MVP stage provides you with a proof of concept and something to give to your consumers. This allows you to gather feedback and incorporate it into the final product.

Final Product

This is the stage where it all comes together.

After going through the entire app development process according to your Project Roadmap, you will finally be presented with the finished app. This is the stage where all the feedback and data gathered from the MVP is analyzed and implemented into the already existing features.

Take for example Builder.ai- a platform that is known to provide high-quality software. Builder.ai offers options for people to make a prototype, MVP, pre-packaged apps or custom apps, thanks to its wide product suite. The brand lets you skip the entire design process and get straight to business while staying within budget.

Now let’s talk about the Studio Store. This option is great if you want to build an app fast and affordably, and don’t have time to get into detail with your design processes. The Studio Store is an excellent way to make use of feature-rich apps that are delivered to you at an accelerated rate using industry standard design and customer experience practices. Needless to say, Builder.ai would be our choice of partner if we wanted to take any of our businesses online.

Conclusion

Now that you know more about the distinctions between a prototype, minimum viable product and final product, you can make an informed decision about which phases to include in your project’s timeline.

If you have the time and resources, implementing both a prototype stage and a minimum viable product stage will be greatly beneficial to the quality of your finished product, with a personalized touch to meet your unique requirements.

If time is of the essence, you can always opt for one of Builder.ai’s myriad of offerings in their Studio Store. Good luck with your app development journey!