Minimum Viable Product…. the most over loaded term in the modern era.
My thought in short is that we do not use it. We should be framing the concern of what is essentially a batch size as anything but MVP. My favourite definition is minimum amount of effort to obtain maximum amount of learning because it supports our focus on experimentation.
Why experimentation over lean startup, I like to refer to Dave Snowdon’s Cynefin Model regarding complex adaptive systems theory and showcasing Deming’s PDCA cycle.
Rather than creating large stories/releases/projects/programmes/work (batch size) and making expensive up front investment (effort/funding). Use experimentation with small batches (ideas, hypothesis), measure results, use validated learning to inform further action and investment.
I find when explaining theories using themes and visualisation that people are familiar with, often helps frame how that thinking can be applied in numerous context.