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Planning & Processnoun · /ˈmɪnɪməm ˈvaɪəbəl ˈfiːtʃər/

minimum viable feature

In simple English

In modern software development, teams use the concept of minimum viable feature (sometimes abbreviated as MVF) to build and ship features incrementally rather than waiting for perfection. This approach allows developers to get user feedback quickly, validate assumptions, and iterate based on real-world usage. A minimum viable feature might be a basic search function without advanced filters, or a notification system that sends emails but not SMS alerts yet. The key principle is delivering value to users with the least amount of effort and code, then expanding based on feedback. This contrasts with traditional waterfall approaches where teams tried to build complete, polished features before launch. In agile and lean methodologies, breaking work into minimum viable features helps teams maintain velocity, reduce risk, and ensure resources are spent on features users actually need.

Understanding what a minimum viable feature is and how it differs from building complete, fully-featured functionality

At a glanceCEFR B2
Commonness4/5
Versatility4/5
FormalityCasualFormalNeutral
Spoken ↔ WrittenSpokenWrittenBoth
Directness ↔ DiplomaticDirectDiplomaticDirect
RegionUS and UK
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Say it like this

✓Let us ship this as a minimum viable feature and see how users respond
✓We should aim for the minimum viable feature first, then iterate
✓Can we reduce the scope to a minimum viable feature for this release?

Real examples

in a standup

"For the notification system, we are targeting a minimum viable feature: email notifications only, no SMS or push for now."

in a code review

"This dashboard implementation is good, but let us keep it as a minimum viable feature and add the analytics later."

in a team meeting

"Instead of building the full recommendation engine, we could launch a minimum viable feature that suggests popular items based on category."

Don't say this

Handle with care. Often confused with MVP (minimum viable product). A minimum viable feature is one specific feature with basic functionality, while MVP is the entire product with only essential features.

✕We need to build the minimum viable feature to launch the entire product.
✓We need to build a minimum viable feature to launch this functionality, then we can expand it.— A minimum viable feature is one feature, not an entire product. The term for a product is MVP (minimum viable product).
✕The minimum viable feature includes all the features users requested.
✓The minimum viable feature includes only the core functionality users need; we can add the rest later.— By definition, a minimum viable feature is stripped down to essentials only. Including everything defeats the purpose.
✕We should never ship a minimum viable feature because it is incomplete.
✓Shipping a minimum viable feature allows us to gather user feedback and iterate quickly.— Minimum viable features are intentionally released early to validate ideas and learn from real users, not to avoid effort.

Other forms

noun

minimum viable feature

"The minimum viable feature for user authentication is email and password login."

noun

MVF (abbreviation)

"We will ship the MVF this sprint and expand in the next one."

Often used with

ship a minimum viable featureTo release or deploy a feature in its simplest form to users
scope a minimum viable featureTo define or decide what should be included in the basic version
iterate on a minimum viable featureTo improve and add functionality based on user feedback
minimum viable feature firstReleasing the basic version before attempting improvements

Similar words

basic featureLess precise; does not emphasize the viability and user value aspect
core functionalityBroader term that may include multiple features rather than one specific feature
stripped-down versionMore informal and less commonly used in professional tech contexts

Opposites

fully-featuredfeature-completepolished release

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Practice

Try it

4 quick exercises

Complete the sentence

1. We should launch the search as a _______ and add filters next quarter.

Spot the mistake

2. Which sentence uses the term correctly?

Pick the most natural phrasing

3. Your team wants to release a basic version of the export tool first. How do you say it?

Rewrite naturally

4. Rewrite using minimum viable feature: We want to release a very simple version of the chat system that only allows one-to-one messaging before adding group chats.

Questions

Quick poll

Have you said "minimum viable feature" in a standup this week?

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