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Month 3

The Build

Creating the first version of the product or service.

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👋 Who is this for?

Students who have an idea and some validation and are ready to create a simple first version, not a perfect final product.

🎯 Learning Goals

  • Understand what an MVP (Minimum Viable Product) is.
  • Choose the smallest useful version of your idea.
  • Build a basic version using tools you already have.
  • Collect feedback and make at least one improvement.

📅 Weekly Breakdown

Week 1

Week 1 – What is the smallest useful version?

  • List all the features you dream of having.
  • Mark each one as Must have, Nice to have, or Later.
  • Sketch what your MVP could look like:
    • App: draw screens on paper.
    • Service: write out the steps.
    • Product: draw the item and label the parts.
Week 2

Week 2 – Build version 0.1

Choose a simple format for your MVP:

  • A basic landing page or prototype website.
  • A slide deck that explains the product.
  • A script and checklist for a service you will offer.
  • A mock-up made with Canva, Figma, or even paper.

Goal: Build just enough so someone can understand the idea and how it would help them.

Week 3

Week 3 – Test with real people

  • Show your MVP to at least 3 people in your target audience.
  • Ask:
    • “What is the first thing you notice?”
    • “What is confusing?”
    • “Would you use this? Why or why not?”
  • Take notes on what they say, not just what you wish they said.
Week 4

Week 4 – Improve one big thing

  • Review your notes and pick the one change that would help the most.
  • Update your MVP with that change:
    • Clearer message?
    • Simpler steps?
    • Better example or screenshot?

🚀 Project for this month

Deliver a working MVP plus a short “Before & After” summary that explains:

  • What your first version looked like.
  • What feedback you received.
  • What you changed and why.

💭 Final Reflection

  • What was hard about keeping the MVP small?
  • What did you want to add that you decided to save for later?
  • If you had one more week, what would you improve next?

🌟 Extra Credit

  • Keep a simple “changelog” with dates and notes each time you update your MVP.
  • Share your changelog in your final presentation to show your learning journey.