Matt Murphy

For founders with a tested prototype

MVP development: a first version people can use

The smallest version of your product that does its one job for real users, built with AI coding agents and hosted in accounts you own.

First version Eight to twelve weeks

Not sure where to start? Product discovery

Book a 20-minute callWhere we start

What a first version includes

  • The core jobThe one thing the product does, working end to end.
  • AccountsSign-in, if the product needs it.
  • DataA real database, not a spreadsheet.
  • HostingLive on your domain, in accounts you own.
  • ChecksAutomated tests, and my sign-off before each release.
  • HandoverThe code, and a guide to running it.

You get a working product, the code, and a list of what to build next.

What you get

  • The one core job, working end to end
  • Sign-in and accounts, if the product needs them
  • Your data in a real database
  • Hosting in accounts you own
  • Tests and release checks
  • The code and a handover guide

Best fit: web tools and focused products. Not a fit: safety-critical, medical or payments infrastructure.

How it works

  1. Scope

    What’s in the first version, in writing.

  2. Build

    You see working software every week.

  3. Test

    Real users try it before launch.

  4. Launch

    Live, in your accounts, with a handover.

Proof

  • Live product

    Pathway Builder

    Software I built so community-college teams can map programs, courses and competencies into routes they can see, from short-term training to a degree. Right now I’m adding a place to weigh new program ideas with evidence.

    Read the story

  • In development

    Encore

    I’m building one system for community-college continuing-education teams: catalog, registration and payment, class operations, attendance, completion and certificates.

    Read the story

Where we start

First version

Timeline Eight to twelve weeks

Included

  • The scoped first version, working end to end
  • A weekly build you can try
  • Hosting and a database in accounts you own
  • Automated tests and release checks
  • The code and a handover guide

Not included

  • Safety-critical, medical or payments infrastructure
  • Native apps for both platforms at once
  • Ongoing product management

Not sure where to start? Product discovery

Book a 20-minute callOr send a note and I’ll reply with a time.

Where

Anywhere, remotely; in person around Iowa City and Cedar Rapids when it helps.

Questions people ask

What is an MVP?

A minimum viable product: the smallest version that does one job well enough for real users to rely on.

Do you write the code yourself?

I design the product and direct AI coding agents to build it, under a release process where I approve everything before it ships.

What stack do you build in?

Next.js, TypeScript and Postgres, hosted on Vercel. I’ll say so when a no-code tool would do the job for less.

Who owns the code?

You do: the code, the accounts and the data. If we part ways, another developer can pick it up.

What happens after launch?

You get a list of what to build next, in order. I can keep building, or hand over to your own developer.

Other ways to work together