5 MVP Testing Benefits To Drive Business Growth and Success

4. A/B Testing

A/B testing is a proven technique that can be used to test MVPs to validate assumptions and make data-driven decisions about product development. By creating two versions of an MVP and testing them against each other, A/B testing can help identify which version performs better and which features are most valuable to users.

When testing MVPs using A/B testing, it’s important to focus on a single variable or hypothesis at a time. This allows you to isolate the effect of each change and determine its impact on user behavior.

For example, suppose you are developing an MVP for a new social media platform that allows users to share photos and videos. You want to test whether including a “like” button on posts will increase user engagement with the platform.

You create two versions of the MVP: one with a “like” button on each post and another without the button. You randomly assign users to one of the two groups and track their interactions with the platform.

After collecting data from both groups, you find that the version with the “like” button performed better. Users were more likely to engage with posts that had received likes, and there was an overall increase in user engagement with the platform.

5. Split Testing

Split testing is a technique used to test multiple variations of a product or feature at the same time, with the goal of identifying which combination of features or elements performs best. This technique is often used in MVP testing to help identify the optimal combination of features or elements to include in the final product.

When conducting split testing for MVPs, it’s important to define clear goals and metrics for each variation being tested. This allows you to compare each variation’s performance and determine which best meets your goals and objectives.

While performing split testing for a new fitness app MVP that allows users to track their workouts and set fitness goals, you would want to test which combination of features will lead to the highest user engagement and retention.

You create three variations of the MVP: one with a focus on tracking workouts and progress, one with a focus on setting and achieving fitness goals, and one that combines both approaches.

You randomly assign users to each variation and track their interactions with the app.

After collecting data from all three variations, you find that the combination approach (with a focus on tracking workouts and progress, as well as setting and achieving fitness goals) performed best.

Users were more likely to engage with the app and set more ambitious fitness goals, resulting in higher levels of user retention. As a result, you can conclude that combining both approaches is the most effective way to increase user engagement and retention.

6. Usability Testing

Usability testing is an approach that involves evaluating a product’s user interface and user experience to ensure that it is easy to use and understand. This testing technique is often used to identify issues that could affect user satisfaction and adoption.

During usability testing for your MVP, testers observe users as they interact with the product and record their feedback and observations. This feedback is then used to improve the product’s design and usability.

An advantage of usability testing is that it allows you to identify UX issues that may not be apparent from other testing methods like functional testing.

For instance, while performing usability testing for a mobile banking app MVP, the team may notice that several users are having difficulty locating the transaction history feature, which is an essential function of the application. Instead, they click through several screens and menus, which leads to frustration and confusion.
Based on this feedback, the team suggests redesigning the transaction history feature and making it more prominent in the application’s navigation menu. This change could help improve the application’s usability and user satisfaction.

7. Exploratory Testing

Exploratory testing is an approach where testers use their experience and intuition to explore the product without a predefined test plan or script. This technique is often used to find defects that may not be detected through other testing methods.
During exploratory testing, testers can adapt and modify their testing approach as they discover new information about the product. They can use various techniques such as boundary value analysis, equivalence partitioning, and error guessing to uncover potential issues.

An advantage of exploratory testing is that it allows testers to identify defects that may not have been anticipated, which is especially useful for MVPs that may not have well-defined requirements or specifications.

For example, suppose you are testing a new eCommerce platform MVP that allows customers to browse and purchase products online.
During your testing, you decide to focus on the checkout process and begin by entering a product into the cart and proceeding to the checkout page. You notice that the checkout page is taking a long time to load, which could result in customers abandoning their purchases.

Moreover, you decide to test the website’s performance under different network conditions, such as slow or unstable connections. You find that the checkout page loads slowly when the network connection is unstable, indicating a potential performance issue that needs to be addressed.

8. Smoke Testing

Smoke testing is a technique used to test the basic functionality of an MVP by performing a quick and focused set of tests on the product’s core features. Smoke testing aims to identify any major issues or defects in the MVP before proceeding with more in-depth testing.

When conducting smoke testing for MVPs, it’s important to focus on the most critical features of the product and to test them thoroughly. This allows you to identify any major issues early on and make improvements to the MVP to ensure its success.
Suppose you are developing an MVP for a new-age social media platform that allows users to connect with friends and share content. You want to perform smoke testing on the MVP to ensure the core features function correctly.

You begin by testing the basic functionality of the platform, such as user registration, login, and profile creation. You then test the core features, such as the ability to create and share posts, connect with friends, and view content.

Hypothetically, during the smoke testing, you find that some users are having difficulty creating posts and that the platform is experiencing performance issues when multiple users are online at the same time. Based on this feedback, you make improvements to the MVP by optimizing the performance and making it easier for users to create posts.

Bottom Line: Test Your MVP Before Launch

Testing before launch is critical for MVP development because it allows you to identify and fix any issues or bugs before releasing your product to the public.
This not only helps to ensure that your MVP meets user expectations and performs as intended but can also save you time and money in the long run by avoiding costly post-launch fixes or redesigns.

You can pick among the MVP testing techniques discussed in this article to get started.

And if you need any assistance during your MVP lifecycle, feel free to reach us at Innovify. We have MVP experts on board who can help you get going.