Done Is Better Than Perfect: Why Your MVP Doesn’t Need to Be Flawless

• February 27, 2025
• Jesandy
• 1 comment

On the Gospel of Luke, chapter 10, when Jesus visiting the home of the two sisters, where Mary sits at His feet to listen while Martha is preoccupied with the preparations. Jesus commends Mary for choosing “what is better,” emphasizing the importance of focusing on what truly matters. Same like develop MVP “done is better than perfect”, your MVP isn’t meant to be perfect; it’s meant to be functional. The goal is to solve a specific problem for users, even if it’s not polished.

You may need: #2 Start Small and Solve One Problem

By prioritizing progress over perfection, you can focus on what truly matters—delivering value and building a product that resonates with users.

The Advantages of “Focus on Progress, Not Perfection”

When you focus on this mindset, you unlock several key benefits:

First, you can launch faster. By focusing on core functionality rather than perfection, you avoid wasting time on unnecessary polish. This means you can start gathering real-world feedback sooner, which is invaluable for improving your product.

Second, it reduces stress. Letting go of perfectionism allows you to focus on what truly matters—delivering value to your users. Users don’t expect perfection; they care about whether your product solves their problem.

Finally, it fosters authenticity. Early adopters appreciate transparency. They’re often more forgiving of flaws and willing to provide constructive feedback when they see a commitment to improvement.

Lesson from Focusly: How to Apply “Done Is Better Than Perfect”

To put this mindset into action, start by defining what “done” means for your MVP. Focus on usability and solving one core problem effectively. Communicate clearly with users that your product is a work in progress, and invite their feedback to guide your iterations.

A great example comes from a small productivity app called Focusly. The creators launched a basic version with just one feature: a simple timer for focused work sessions. Instead of perfecting every detail, they released it quickly and used user feedback to prioritize additional features. Over time, Focusly grew into a robust productivity tool, but it started with a single, imperfect idea that worked.

Perfection is overrated, especially in the early stages of product development. By adopting the mindset “done is better than perfect,” you can launch faster, learn more, and create a product that truly resonates with users. Remember, progress beats perfection every time.