Why This Stage Matters
You can’t build everything at once, and you shouldn’t try. The most effective Open Source projects don’t launch fully formed. They start with a Minimum Viable Product (MVP): the simplest version of the idea that still delivers value.
Planning your MVP helps you:
- Stay focused
- Launch faster
- Avoid burnout
- Make it easier for others to contribute
This is where good ideas become buildable.
Step 1: Go Back to the Core Problem
Start with the real-world need you’re solving. Then ask yourself:
- What’s the smallest thing I could build that would still help someone?
- What’s the core value I’m offering?
Examples:
Idea: A tool for blind students to access textbook content
MVP: Upload a PDF → get a plain-text version with alt-text and semantic structure
Idea: A secure messaging app for activists
MVP: End-to-end encrypted chat between two people using local keys
If your MVP solves one problem for one type of user, that’s a win.
Step 2: Cut Features Ruthlessly (for Now)
Write down every feature you imagine. Then cross out everything that isn’t essential.
Ask yourself:
- Would the core problem still be solved without this?
- Can this be added later without breaking the design?
- Is this feature making it harder to launch?
You’re not saying no forever, you’re saying not yet.
Step 3: Scope for What You Can Actually Build
It’s tempting to plan for what would be ideal. But your MVP should match your time, skills, and resources.
Consider:
- Are you working solo or with a team?
- How much time can you realistically commit?
- Are there tools or libraries that reduce the work?
For example, if you’re not a frontend developer, maybe your MVP is a CLI tool, with a UI planned for later.
Step 4: Write It Down
Create a short planning doc with:
- Your MVP goal in one sentence
- The 2 - 3 features it must include
- The features you’ll save for later
- Who it helps and how
This document will guide your initial development and make it easier to get feedback early.
Tips for Planning a Solid MVP
- Focus on usefulness, not completeness
- Launch something boring and helpful before something flashy
- You can’t fix scope creep if you don’t define scope
- Every extra feature is another reason not to launch
TL;DR
- Your MVP should solve one problem for one group of people
- Strip away everything that’s not essential, for now
- Write down your MVP scope so you don’t get lost later
- Build something small that works, and grow from there