Sprint One: MVP

Planning and presenting

Planning

You've already developed your three stage plan. Organise these in your Trello in the order you will complete them. Check daily. 

Don't be afraid to add or change this plan as you are going - that's the point of Agile project management! 

Presenting your MVP and explaining a couple of components

Stick a few screenshots in your workbook. Show the MVP as a whole then show a few of your components as close-ups

For at least 2 components, you need explain how you tried different ideas and/or techniques and selected those which are most suitable. This is a requirement for Merit.

For example: 

"For my movement mechanics, I added a dash to the game, as I thought it would make the combat much more fun by dodging enemies. After implementing the dashes, I found it too easy so I experimented with different speeds. I decided to add an effect to them to make it feel faster. Even after the dashes, my game still felt slow the rest of the eime, so I decided to implement sprinting to my game, so that the player can move around the large map faster. I experimented with all these forward dashes, but I decided against it in the end as I believe sprinting is fast enough and maintaining forward dashes would make the game too easy."

Testing and Trialling

Once you have completed your MVP, you need a way for it to be playable or viewable in a way that lets you test it and get feedback. Once you have a version you can use, completed the following...

Testing

Testing is about making sure your outcome functions as intended. That means it works and meets your purpose and requirements.

Here's how to TEST  your MVP:

• Use FUCA to test your outcome. I've included some useful questions / prompts below...

• As this is your MVP it doesn't matter if these are only simple at this stage, or if things are working right - that's the point

• Explain the success of each of these in a few sentences

• Identify a couple of important next steps for each of the FUCA concepts. Add these to your Trello board

Trialling

Trialling is when you get feedback from others. This is great for spotting things you may have missed or for new ideas you hadn't thought of. 

Here's how your TRIAL you MVP:

• Use FUCA as the basis for your trialling. Again, look at the questions below for ideas

• Create a digital way of collecting feedback, e.g. Google Forms. This can also then be one of your EFFICIENT tools and techniques.  

• Invite both potential END USERS and at least one EXPERT

• Identify a couple of important next steps for each of the FUCA concepts. Add these to your Trello board. these may replace or modify what you already have. 

Useful question ideas

🔧 Functionality (Does it work?)

• Can you use the outcome from start to finish without it stopping or breaking?

• Do the main features work (e.g. play button, interactions, transitions)?

• Is everything needed to understand or use the outcome included, even in a basic way?

🤝 Usability (Is it usable?)

• Is it clear how to use or interact with it?

• Can someone follow what’s happening without needing help?

• Does it feel like the user knows what to do next?

📐 Conventions (Does it follow familiar patterns?)

• Does it follow the design conventions that are important for media like yours (HINT: Look at your research in your design doc - part one!)?

• Is it similar to other products like yours you’ve seen before in a good way?

🎨 Aesthetics (Does it look and feel like a real product?)

• Does the outcome have a consistent style (e.g. same colours, fonts, visual mood)?

• Can you see the overall theme or tone starting to come through?

• Does it look like a real product in its early form?