This document outlines three core concepts for MVP design: 1) Find and delight early adopters by focusing on their needs and helping them bring key systems to life. 2) Research and design the player's journey through a narrative of discovery, onboarding, habit-building, and mastery. 3) Prototype and test the core habit-building loop by designing activities, triggers, feedback and progress to engage early adopters and iterate based on their insights.

1. MVP Design Hacks
Customer Discovery with Game Design Smarts
3 Core Concepts

2. adopters
13.5 %
early
1. Find & delight your early adopters
Focus on identifying a small, passionate early market

3. Diffusion of Innovation
Everett Rogers, 1962

4. Crossing the Chasm
Geoffrey Moore, 1991
Early Market

5. Common Mistake: Focusing on Early Majority

6. Early Adopters
feel a pain point and want/need a solution

7. Early Adopters
have the time and ability to get involved

8. ≈
Early Adopters
help you bring key systems to life

9. Early Adopters
spread the word when it’s time to scale

10. Early Adopters
move quickly through the Build/measure/Learn cycle
To increase your chances of
success, minimize time through
the Build-Measure-Learn cycle
Eric Ries – The Lean Startup

11. 2. Research & Design your Player’s Journey
Create a coherent narrative & compelling core loop

12. Discovery
is for EnthusiastsSketch out a coherent narrative
Onboarding
Habit-Building
Mastery

13. Discovery
is for EnthusiastsDiscovery is for Visitors
Personal fit,
value prop

14. Discovery
is for EnthusiastsOnboarding is for Newbies
Onboarding
Feel welcome,
learn the ropes

15. Discovery
is for EnthusiastsHabit-Building is for Regulars
Onboarding
Habit-Building
fresh content,
activities &
challenges

16. MasteryMastery
Discovery
Onboarding
Habits
is for EnthusiastsMastery is for Enthusiasts
Exclusivity, recognition, impact

17. Develop your product in stages

18. 3. Prototype & test your Core Loop
Iterate & refine your product experience with early adopters

19. Core Loop = Habit-Building System
you are here 

20. Fuel the Loop with Engaging, Repeatable Activities
Engaging Activity
Task / Mission / Game / Quiz / Gift
Internal
Trigger

21. Feedback & Progress
Messages / Stats / Challenges / Awards
Motivate skill-building with feedback & progress
Engaging Activity
Task / Mission / Game / Quiz / Gift
Internal
Trigger

22. Feedback & Progress
Investment & CTA
Customize / Earn / Share / Help / Follow
Pull people back with Investment & Triggers
Engaging Activity
Internal
Trigger
External
Trigger

23. Design using early adopter insights
When I
situational and/or emotional trigger
I want to a
activity + goal
so I can
desired outcome
Job Story
Capturing key research finding
Quote
from subject illustrating that pattern
“This is what
I think”

24. Build and test your core loop
Investment &
CTA
Engaging
Activity
External TriggerInternal Trigger
Feedback &
Progress
When I
trigger
I want a
activity + goal
so I can
outcome
Habit Story
Job story about
customer behavior + unmet need

25. Update & Validate your Key Assumptions
Key
Assumptions
Before
After
Early
Market
Before
After
Unmet
Needs
Before
After
Unfair
Advantage
Before
After
Your
Solution
Before
After
Value
Prop
Before
After
Early
Metrics
Before
After

26. 1. Find & Delight
your early adopters
3 Core Concepts

27. 1. Find & Delight
your early adopters
1. Research & Design
your Player’s Journey
3 Core Concepts
Discovery
Onboarding
Habit-Building
Mastery

28. 1. Find & Delight
your early adopters
1. Research & Design
your Player’s Journey
1. Prototype & Test
your Core Loop
3 Core Concepts
Habit-Building