Usable Over Viable

The term "Minimum Viable Product" (MVP) was originally coined to describe a lean approach to product development—launching a basic version of a product quickly to validate assumptions and gather user feedback. In theory, it’s brilliant. In practice? MVP has become a swear word in many business units.

Why? Because in the rush to ship something "viable," teams often lose sight of what really matters: whether the product is usable. Viability might get something out the door, but usability determines whether people will stick around to use it. As Inigo Montoya would say "You keep using that word. I do not think it means what you think it means."

And here we are today.

From Developer to Agile Transformer

Hi, I’m Jimmy. I’ve been in the tech world for over 30 years, starting as a software developer and eventually leading Agile transformations in industries like utilities, renewable energy, and financial services. Today, as Founder and CTO of Khiliad, I’m on a mission to help businesses build software that users love—not just software that checks a box.

Here’s the thing about MVP: when I first encountered the concept, I thought it was genius. A way to avoid over-engineering, save time, and validate ideas? Perfect. But over the years, I’ve watched "MVP" morph into an excuse to cut corners, release half-baked products, and tell users, "Don’t worry, we’ll fix it later."

The term “viable” is so ambiguous and context dependent that it lost its meaning. For a developer, viable is something that works, a proven architecture. For a stakeholder it may mean that there is something out in time, even if it’s useless. And for users it will be something that solves their problem. For a startup a single feature may be viable, while for an enterprise an extensive set of functionalities may just cut the mark.

That’s why I advocate using the Minimum Usable Product (MUP) concept. It’s not just about getting something out the door—it’s about ensuring that what you deliver is meaningful, delightful, and actually usable. Because at the end of the day, users don’t care if your product is viable. They care if it works for them.

Why MVP Fails

1. MVP Encourages "Just Good Enough" Thinking

When teams focus on building something "viable," they often cut critical corners. Sure, the product might technically meet the requirements—but is it intuitive? Is it delightful? Does it solve the user’s problem in a way that feels natural and seamless?

The problem is that "viable" doesn’t always equal "usable." A viable product might have all the features users need, but if they can’t figure out how to use them, what’s the point?

2. It Damages Trust with Users

How many times have you seen a product launch with the promise of "It’s just the MVP; we’ll improve it later"? Users don’t care about your MVP strategy. They care about their experience. If the product feels clunky or unfinished, you risk losing their trust—and it’s hard to win that back.

3. MVP Gets Weaponized by Stakeholders

In many organizations, MVP has become a shortcut for under-delivering. Stakeholders push teams to "just get something out" under the guise of MVP, but what they really mean is "do it faster, cheaper, and without much thought." This undermines the whole purpose of the concept: learning and iterating based on user feedback.

Why Usability Matters More

1. Usability Drives Adoption

Users don’t care how many features your product has. They care about how easy and intuitive it is to use. If your product doesn’t feel usable from day one, users won’t stick around to see what’s next.

A Minimum Usable Product (MUP) focuses on creating a seamless, enjoyable experience—even in its simplest form. It’s not about cramming in as many features as possible; it’s about nailing the user journey the first time.

2. Usability Builds Momentum

When users love your product, they talk about it. They recommend it. They come back for more. Usability isn’t just about making users happy—it’s about creating a foundation for growth. A well-designed MUP is easier to iterate on because the core experience is already strong.

3. Usability Enhances Learning

The whole point of launching early is to learn from your users. But if your product isn’t usable, how can you gather meaningful feedback? Users won’t tell you how to improve—they’ll just leave. A focus on usability ensures that the feedback you get is actionable and relevant.

The Minimum Usable Product (MUP) Approach

At Khiliad, we’ve developed the MUP methodology to help teams deliver products that are not just viable, but truly usable. Here’s how it works:

1. Start with the User Journey

Before writing a single line of code, map out the user’s journey. What problem are they trying to solve? What experience will make them say, "Wow, this is exactly what I needed"? What are their pains and frustrations, and what are they looking to achieve?

2. Prioritize Delight

Your MUP doesn’t need to have every feature, but it does need to delight users. It needs to make them say “wow, this is what I needed”. Whatever it is, make sure your MUP leaves a positive impression and gives the user the value they expect. Nothing is worse than failed expectations.

3. Test Early, Test Often

Usability isn’t something you "guess" at—it’s something you test. Get your MUP in front of real users as early as possible, and use their feedback to iterate.

4. Never Sacrifice Quality

Just because it’s "minimum" doesn’t mean it can be sloppy. Your MUP should feel polished, thoughtful, and intentional—even if it’s small in scope.

Usable Is the Future

As a Product Manager or CTO, your job isn’t just to ship products—it’s to create experiences that users love. This is especially critical for startups who compete in a vast ocean of similar ideas. Yours is the one that must stand out as the one that is loved by users. Your customers and users will vote with their feet. If your product can’t give them what they expect, they will walk away. When you focus on usability over viability, you’re not just meeting expectations; you’re exceeding them.

We recently finished a MUP of a system for a big enterprise client. It was a ten month long project. A long time for some, but it required a fairly big and complex set of features to be usable. If we followed the common MVP approach, we would give users a half functioning product that would be useless. They would just nod and go back to their old tools. Instead we took our time and with the stakeholders worked out a product that created the wow effect.

Don’t aim for "good enough." Aim for something users can actually use, enjoy, and value.

Call to Action

To all Product Managers, Engineers, and Leaders:

• Stop using MVP as an excuse to cut corners. Your users deserve better.
• Start focusing on usability from day one. Even the smallest product can make a big impact if it’s designed with care.
• Embrace the MUP mindset. Build products that are delightful, intuitive, and meaningful—even in their earliest stages.

Remember: viability might get your product out the door, but usability will keep it in your users’ hands.

Closing Thought

At the end of the day, the goal of any product isn’t just to exist—it’s to solve real problems for real people. And if those people can’t use your product, you haven’t solved anything.

As Marv likes to say: "A product isn’t ‘done’ when it’s launched. It’s ‘done’ when users love it." So ditch the MVP mindset, and start building products that put usability first.

This article was created in cooperation between Marv Gillibrand and Jimmy Skowronski, and published on LinkedIn. See the original article.