Forget MVP; Africa Needs Usable and Lovable Products!
Navigating the African Market: Beyond Minimum Viable Products
Marc Randolph, the co-founder of Netflix, once wrote on LinkedIn, “If you’re building a MVP, you’re building too much. You want to build a minimum unviable product. It doesn’t have to be repeatable or scalable. Just enough to prove that someone really wants what you are building.”
In the world of startups, the concept of a "minimum viable product" (MVP) reigns supreme. Build something basic, test it with users, and iterate quickly, but what if this approach doesn't quite fit a unique market like Africa?
This article explores why African startups might need to consider a different strategy: the "Minimum Usable Product" (MUP) and the "Minimum Lovable Product" (MLP).
Why the MVP Approach Might Struggle in Africa
Africa presents a unique set of challenges for startups. Here's why the standard MVP approach might not be ideal:
Limited disposable income: Africans prioritise basic needs. A product that lacks clear value will struggle to compete for a limited budget. Almost every product is fighting for a share of the average customer’s disposable income against their core hierarchy of needs.
Low tolerance for experimentation: Customers expect products to work well right away. Trial-and-error with buggy products is less appealing for most people who do not have the luxury of repeat purchases to test out the product or enough patience to wait out the maturity of the product.
First impressions matter: The African culture is wired to “punish” failure instead of seeing it as a learning point. Africans are wired to see failures as a direct threat and an interpretation of their worth as a person; hence, they barely also extend hands of grace or second chances to products they’ve used and they deem to have failed them in the past. A poorly designed MVP can damage trust, making it difficult to regain user confidence later.
The MUP and MLP Approach
African startups do not also enjoy the luxury of having enough runway to keep experimenting and often get to the market too early or too late (which is a story for another day), so while you are building, shipping, and failing fast, there may not be enough capital to keep failing.
Minimum “usable” product and Minimum “lovable” product ensure that you’re pushing out the core of your product that is usable and lovable by your target audience to ensure that they can pay for it and see that it solves their core problem or the product becomes a necessity. Sometimes, coming to the market too early may erode the confidence of the market in the product, and it becomes harder to change the bitter taste and convince the market that you now have a solution superior to your first release. Here's how African startups can adapt the product development process:
Minimum Usable Product (MUP): Focus on clear, reliable core functionality that addresses a critical need. Your product should solve a real problem and do it well from the start.
Minimum Lovable Product (MLP): Make your product user-friendly, aesthetically pleasing, and relevant to the local context. People should enjoy using it, and it should feel designed for them.
Benefits of MUPs and MLPs
By prioritising usability and user love, African startups can enjoy several benefits:
Increased Adoption: People are more likely to adopt and recommend a product they find valuable and enjoyable.
Reduced Risk of Failure: A well-developed product minimises the potential for damaging user trust.
Sustainable Growth: A strong foundation built with an MUP and MLP creates a solid platform for long-term success.
Remember: In Africa, first impressions matter. Invest in creating a product that is not only functional but also resonates with your target audience.
Do you want to build a successful startup in Africa? Focus on creating a product that is both usable and lovable. By prioritising user needs and emotions, you'll increase your chances of gaining user adoption and achieving sustainable growth.