🧠 Your MVP should have been a prototype
An MVP is a pretty inefficient way to test your idea. Try rapid prototyping instead.
Hey friends 👋
You know that shiny little thing you’re about to build and launch because it’s the smallest way to test if people like your idea?
Yeah, that’s adorable. And totally wrong.
In fact, it’s probably going to waste your time, your talent, and your treasure.
Most founders think the MVP is the most efficient way to test their idea. In reality, it’s the quickest route to disappointment and burnout.
Why? Because you’re building before you’ve tested.
So let’s talk about how you should be testing before you pour resources at an MVP.
Spoiler: it’s a rapid prototype.
Let’s dive deep 👇
Let’s start with what a prototype is.
Prototyping is a small effort that gives you a signal.
But can I be candid with you?
A prototype is basically a glorified fake-out.
It’s a small, minimal version of the thing you want to build — enough to test with real customers, but usually not enough to make anyone think you actually know what you’re doing.
It’s like dating. There’s no one prototype of a successful relationship — no Marriage MVP — but the whole process is a series of mini-prototypes: chatting, dating, meeting friends and family, sharing a Netflix account, etc. Dating is a string of prototypes where you slowly level up the commitment based on feedback from the market.
If you make it past the “just talking” phase, you’re probably on the right track. If they bail after 2 weeks of dating you, well, then… failure is data, amirite?
And that’s how prototyping works in startups, too: small bets that give you a signal whether you’re headed toward market success or the inevitable breakup with your idea.
Just as no one ever wants to go from “dating” to “forever” without testing the waters first, so goes it for your product. Prototypes let you test the waters, fail fast, and figure out if you should run in the opposite direction before wasting your precious time, money, and sanity on an MVP that no one cares about.
This is why prototyping is at the core of my Traction Thinking philosophy. It’s also why I bring it into everything I do — whether it’s The Right Box, The Traction Lab, The Startup Challenge, or any casual chat with an early-stage founder who’s about to build the next disruptive AI-powered game-changer without even talking to a customer first.
And, despite popular belief:
You can prototype anything.
Seriously! You can prototype more than just an app.
I’ve prototyped:
Software
Services
Conversations
Communities
And yes, even a whole damn business model.
Prototyping is not about creating a miniature version of the entire product. That’s an MVP, and we’ve already established that MVPs can be a disaster waiting to happen.
Prototyping is about testing a tiny surface-level interaction that allows you to dip your toes in the water without building a whole pool.
Think of it like the town in an old western film: when the stranger walks down the deserted street with his spurs clanking, the buildings around him aren’t real — they’re just facades. But you, the audience, are immersed as if it’s a real town because you only need the appearance of a real town to get a feel for it.
Even though it’s all painted plywood with fake windows.
And that’s all you need for a prototype — something that simulates the experience enough to gather real feedback without sinking any more time, treasure, and talent into it than you need to.
Let’s do some examples.
How do you prototype a value proposition?
Customer interviews (the old school, get-your-hands-dirty method)
Landing pages (yes, just that — no need for the full website)
Social media ads (get them clicking before you’re ready for them to click)
Crowdfunding campaigns (prove people want it with money — not just words)
Want to prototype software, apps, or SaaS?
Paper sketches (seriously, you’re not too good for a pencil and paper)
Google Slides (throw something good enough together in minutes)
Clickable prototypes (Figma, Sketch, etc — you know the drill)
Zapier-based Frankenstein’s monsters (just glue some limbs together and throw electricity at it)
Services?
Paper sketches (again, much more useful than you think)
Individual touchpoints (think one email that represents an encounter)
Manual, concierge delivery (handcraft the experience while testing the model)
The point? You don’t need to prototype everything. You just need to find that one Moment of Greatest Impact — the thing that delivers the most value or represents the most risk.
Which brings me to my favorite prototyping metaphor: marriage.
Let’s be real… you’re going to fight with your spouse at some point. And during a heated argument, you don’t just bust out a couple’s therapy book and expect the exercise to go well. So what do you do instead?
You prototype.
You start using little tools during calm times. You practice your communication skills when you’re not in the middle of a meltdown. You test the waters during minor disagreements.
And you only double-down using the tools if the data (aka your partner’s face) says you’re on the right track.
It’s the same in startups: just test, get feedback, and pivot before you waste a single dollar on something that won’t work.
But I know what some of you are thinking:
”Yeah, but you can’t prototype MY thing!”
But sure you can.
Let me give you an example. The startup Savioke wanted to create a robot that would deliver concierge services to hotel guests, cutting down on labor costs. But the robot wasn’t built yet.
So what did they do? They controlled an off-the-shelf robot remotely (using a gaming controller), strapped an iPad to it, and used PowerPoint slides to simulate a user interface. Throw in a fake phone call and some elevator music, and bam — they had a prototype.
And they made it in less than a day.
So if you think you can’t prototype something because it’s “too complex”, you’re wrong. The whole point of prototyping is to prove your hypothesis before you go building something complex!
Here’s how:
How to run a rapid prototype in 3 steps
Prototyping isn’t about building — it’s about testing.
And if you’re doing it right, a prototype is fast, cheap, and disposable. That means no months-long dev cycles, no perfectly polished UIs, and absolutely no demos where you walk the customer through it like a proud parent showing off the macaroni art installed on the refrigerator door.
Instead, follow this three-step process:
Step 1: Build the smallest, crappiest version of your idea
Your prototype should be the bare minimum needed to simulate the experience of your product. Think cheap, fast, and throwaway. If you’re trying to figure out how to leverage what you’re creating later, you’re overbuilding now.
Here are some ideas:
Is it software? Make a clickable Figma prototype, or better yet, a Google Slides deck with fake buttons.
Is it a service? Fake it. Manually do what you think the product will automate later.
Is it a physical product? 3D print a shell, hack something together with off-the-shelf parts, or just Wizard-of-Oz it behind the scenes.
Rapid prototypes should never take more than one day to put together — and they often take just an hour.
💡 Key mindset shift: Your prototype isn’t the product—it’s the illusion of the product. It points in the direction of the product.
Step 2: Conduct customer interviews (where you STFU and watch)
Here’s where most founders screw this up: they treat the interview like a sales pitch instead of a real-world usability test.
Do NOT demo it. Seriously. Put it in their hands and let them figure it out. If they can’t, that’s really important data!
Have them narrate while they use it. Every hesitation, every “huh, what’s this?”, is a valuable insight.
Record everything. Because you’ll miss key moments if you rely on memory, and you won’t pay enough attention if you’re taking notes.
Afterward, debrief. Ask the big-picture questions, get their gut reactions, and have them recap what they just experienced. Give them the opportunity to reflect.
💡 Key mindset shift: If you have to explain it, your prototype failed.
Step 3: Analyze the results (hint: you’re looking for the whites of their eyes)
The goal isn’t just to see if people like it — it’s to see if it blows their minds.
Because “a little bit better” doesn’t overcome switching costs. “It’s cool, I guess” doesn’t warrant paying for it.
Here’s what you’re looking for instead:
✅ Their eyes light up — they get visibly excited, and start imagining aloud how this would make their life better.
✅ They say things like, “I need this right now.” Not “this is cool,” nor “yeah, I can see the value” — actual urgency.
✅ They try to buy it. If they’re asking for a launch date or offering to pay for an early version, that’s the signal. Anything short of that is “meh”.
What you’re not looking for:
❌ “Yeah, that seems useful.” (Translation: I’d never pay for this.)
❌ “I mean, this is better than what I use now.” (Translation: Not better enough.)
❌ “This would be cool if it had XYZ.” (Translation: I don’t actually want this, but I don’t want to hurt your feelings.)
💡 Key mindset shift: Your prototype’s job is to uncover undeniable, can’t-ignore excitement. If you’re not getting that, pivot — or pack it in.
Your mission, should you choose to accept it…
Talk is cheap, and you can’t make progress reading Substack newsletters.
So run one rapid prototype this week.
Take the next seven days to launch a prototype and put it in front of real customers. Don’t overthink it. Pick an idea, make a disposable prototype, and get it in front of real humans. Right now. No excuses.
I promise you, there’s no reason not to.
Let’s do this 🔥
—jdm
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