Minimum tests for an MVP: the floor across 46 product types

Across the 46 published playbooks, the smallest plan has 7 mandatory tests and the largest has 11. No published type launches with fewer than 7. This guide separates the tests every type shares from the ones that a product trait adds, so an MVP plan keeps the floor and drops the rest until its condition is true.

The 4 types at 7 mandatory tests are the electronic health record system, mental health app, online marketplace and language learning app. The mobile banking app, trading app and loyalty program app have 11 each.

The shared floor

• Release smoke tests: mandatory on 46 of 46.
• Compliance checks: mandatory on 46 of 46.
• End-to-end functional tests: mandatory on 43 of 46.
• Security scanning: mandatory on 42 of 46, including all 36 types flagged as holding personal data (PII). The 4 without it are the electronic health record system, the EV charging app, the mobile game and the language learning app.
• Penetration testing: mandatory on 39 of 46.

What a product trait adds

Counted over the published types that share each trait:

• Moves money: data integrity and migration testing is mandatory on 19 of 24, and payment and money-flow testing on 14 of 24. Every mandatory payment and money-flow item carries the money loss risk id.
• Is a marketplace between two sides: exploratory testing and data integrity testing are mandatory on both such types, the online marketplace and the ride-hailing app. Exploratory testing carries the fraud or abuse risk id on both.
• Has users who are minors: payment and money-flow testing is mandatory on 5 of 6 and analytics and event tracking tests on 5 of 6; the kids app has both.
• Hosts user content: exploratory testing is mandatory on 4 of 5.
• Controls hardware: device and browser compatibility and resilience and failure testing are each mandatory on 4 of 5; the smart home or IoT app has both.
• Works offline: the one such type, the smart home or IoT app, makes offline and poor-network testing and resilience testing mandatory.

Not mandatory on any published type

Usability testing and localization testing are mandatory on 0 of 46. They appear as recommended, optional or not needed, each with the condition that would change that.

Procedure

1. Open your playbook from the how-to-test index. Section 4 is the floor for your type; the lists above only show where it usually comes from.
2. Check section 4 against the shared floor. If one of the 5 floor tests is absent, find it in section 5 or 6 and read its condition or reason; for example, the electronic health record system lists penetration testing and security scanning in section 5, each becoming mandatory when the data breach risk is attached to that type with verified evidence.
3. Check each trait above against your product. If your product has the trait and section 4 lacks the test, read the recommended list in section 5 for the condition.
4. Keep every section 4 item in the MVP plan. A mandatory test is mandatory because a risk with evidence is attached (methodology); launch scope does not remove the risk.
5. Move everything in section 5 to a list headed with its "Becomes mandatory when" condition. Review the list when one of those conditions becomes true.
6. Drop section 6 items from the plan entirely, and keep the reasons for the vendor conversation.
7. Hand over the checklist for your type. It holds only the section 4 items, in order.