# The two types of MVPs

Working with agile teams is awful for many people outside of tech. A big part of that pain comes from a simple misunderstanding that we refuse to acknowledge:

There are two types of MVPs, and we can't keep them straight.

## Minimum Viable Products

A Minimum Viable Product is a simple but useful product that real users can actually use. It has rough edges and a slim feature set, but it solves a real problem for real people.

Minimum Viable Products are viable in the marketplace.

## Minimum Valuable Products

A Minimum Valuable Product is a learning tool. It's the smallest thing you can build to test an assumption. It might be working software, a paper prototype, or a napkin sketch. If it helps you learn, it's a Minimum Valuable Product.

Minimum Valuable Products are valuable for the team.

## The Difference Matters

Minimum Viable Products help users.

Minimum Valuable Products help the team.

Once you decide which you're building, everything gets clearer. Stakeholders understand what to expect. Teams know what success looks like.

For goodness' sake, ditch the acronym. Just say what you mean.