Dave McClure, a well-known Silicon Valley investor who now runs 500 Startups, has a thing about design. He notes:
Addictive User Experience (Design) and Scalable Distribution Methods (Marketing) are the most critical components of success in consumer Internet startups, not Pure Engineering Talent.
The emphasis on good design is a concept that’s gaining more traction in the startup world. I see it in the slick Web pages and mobile interfaces of hot new products, but I also hear the UX mantra from experts who say that while “minimum viable product” (MVP) is important for getting a prototype out the door and starting feedback loops, the design element can’t be ignored. An advisor for my startup suggested that for a consumer-oriented product the emphasis should be on “minimum delightful product“, or MDP, rather than MVP. The post struck a nerve … to date there have been more than 40 retweets of this post.
