So far, we questioned everything. We challenged our assumptions. We killed the cook position (sorry). And we designed Voyager.
Now comes the phase where imagination meets reality: Development.
Phase 3: Develop Link to heading
This is where your validated idea turns into an actual product. Code is written. Materials are purchased. Systems are assembled. Deadlines start staring at you aggressively.
But here’s the thing: development is not just “building”. It’s building wisely. Remember, we are not here to prove we are right. We are here to build the right thing.
Step 1: Define the MVP Link to heading
Before you start building the entire spaceship with a cinema room, a yoga deck, and an intergalactic coffee machine… Ask yourself: What is the smallest version of Voyager that can safely reach Descartes? The answer is your MVP.
MVP means Minimum Viable Product. We’re not optimizing for minimum effort or maximum features. We’re optimizing for minimal value that solves the core problem.
For Voyager, the MVP might be:
- Capacity for 5 people
- Sustainable life-support system
- Navigation system
- Basic research equipment
- Enough supply for 6 light years
No luxury sleeping pods. No holographic entertainment room (yet).
In product terms, MVP protects you from overbuilding. It protects your time, your money, and your other resources, including your mental stability.
Step 2: Break It Down Link to heading
Big visions can be overwhelming. “Build a spaceship” sounds terrifying. “Implement navigation module v1” sounds manageable.
This is where you:
- Break features into smaller tasks
- Prioritize them
- Define acceptance criteria
- Align with your team
Development is a team sport. Engineers, designers, product managers, aliens… everyone needs clarity. If your pilot doesn’t know how to start the engine, Voyager won’t leave Earth.
Lack of clarity creates chaos. Chaos increases rework. Rework hurts morale.
Step 3: Build – Measure – Learn (Yes, Again) Link to heading
Remember how we validated ideas in the Design phase? We keep doing that.
Development is not waterfall poetry. It’s iterative. You build a feature. You test it. You gather feedback. You improve it.
Maybe during development you realize:
- The life-support system consumes too much energy.
- The navigation algorithm miscalculates sandy storms on Descartes.
- The storage system isn’t practical for 6 light years of supplies.
Good. Finding problems during development is cheaper than finding them after launch.
Don’t fall in love with what you build. Fall in love with the problem you’re solving.
If something doesn’t serve the mission, remove it. Even if it took tons of coffee, two breakdowns, and one existential crisis.
But we’re not done yet. Because building a spaceship in your workshop and actually launching it into space are two very different things.
And that takes us to the final phase.