A good MVP starts with a “not now” list

Start with an action, not screens

“A service for experts” tells you very little about the scope. “A customer chooses a specialist and books a consultation” describes a flow you can test. It has a starting point, an outcome and someone who needs that outcome.

Write the flow in one sentence. Anything that does not help someone complete it is a candidate for the next version.

Separate essential from convenient

Booking a consultation may require a directory, available time slots and a confirmation. A loyalty program, complex ratings and five sign-in methods do not all need to launch on day one.

Ask this about every feature: can the first user achieve their goal without it? If so, defer it and explain the decision in your list of limitations.

Keep what protects the user

A small product scope still requires access checks, reliable data storage and clear errors. You can remove a second payment method. You cannot show someone another customer’s orders or lose their request when the page reloads.

Agree on what done looks like

Instead of “build an account area,” describe a check: the user signs in, sees only their bookings and can cancel a future appointment. Both developer and client can understand that criterion.

The result is a short document: the main user flow, required features, deferred work and acceptance criteria. That is a useful starting point for an MVP estimate.