It may sound straightforward, but it’s often not what we actually do. In my experience, there’s a tendency to misinterpret the “low-hanging fruits” or MVP approach by focusing on the easiest parts first.

My point here is that an MVP should validate not just value and functionality but also key constraints to ensure we can move forward with confidence and sustainability. These constraints might include cost, technological feasibility, scalability, SLAs, or UX requirements. While these aspects don’t need to be fully developed in the MVP, they should be validated early on.

Otherwise, we risk pushing the toughest challenges to the final stages, where expectations are high, stakes are greater, or resources may be too tied up in non-viable solutions. Balancing rapid experimentation with sustainable execution velocity is difficult, but validating hard constraints at each milestone can significantly improve your chances of success.

Addressing high-risk factors—like “Can I deliver X data in Y milliseconds at less than Z cost?”—early in the project lifecycle, as we transition from experimentation to delivery, makes a big difference. At the same time, it’s crucial to strike the right balance and avoid overengineering for hypothetical constraints without evidence.