When launching a new product, especially in a startup, it’s easy to get overwhelmed by features, plans, and pressure. But great Program Management—and the MVP (Minimum Viable Product) mindset—can turn pressure into progress.
In 2017, we were approached by a property developer in Sydney looking to add value to their “smart” apartments. With no car parking, they needed something compelling to offer buyers. The idea? Include a free Skillion Smart eBike, fully integrated with GPS tracking, remote control features, and security—all managed via smartphone.
The only issue? We had three months and none of the smart features were ready.
Why MVP Matters
As program managers, we knew we needed to focus fast. That’s where the MVP approach came in. The MVP framework helps identify the least amount of product needed to validate assumptions and deliver value.
Rather than build a perfect solution, we stripped the scope to its bare essentials:
- Use a Raspberry Pi as the core controller
- Add GPS, camera, siren, and cellular modules
- Skip developing a full app; adapt our existing web portal for mobile use
We also negotiated with the client—every eBike would be set up during customer onboarding. This gave us time to build each bike progressively, train users directly, and fine-tune as we went.
Risk, Resourcefulness & Engineering on the Fly
Even with this plan, there were challenges. Would the Pi and daughter board fit in the frame? Could we route power without overheating? Would users accept a web-based control interface?
We had no choice but to move forward. Our team worked around the clock designing, assembling, and debugging. By June 2017, the first system was installed—and by July, we had five Smart eBikes in the field
The Unexpected Lessons
We were excited about our tech. But users weren’t. While everyone loved the eBike, few were interested in the smart features. Training sessions were often brushed off with “I’ll come back for that later.”
Then came a real-world issue: if both the eBike and IoT batteries died, the lockout system would prevent access. From a design standpoint, it was logical. From a user perspective? Confusing. It looked like the bike was broken.
Fix Fast, Learn Faster
We had to respond quickly. The solution? Add a manual override key. It wasn’t ideal—undermining the smart concept a bit—but it kept users happy.
This is the essence of MVP: real-world use shows what matters. By getting bikes in users’ hands quickly, we learned, adapted, and delivered a working product that people actually used.
Final Thoughts
Startups often chase perfection, but Program Management teaches restraint. MVP isn’t about cutting corners—it’s about learning efficiently. At Skillion, we proved that even a complex IoT product can be delivered in 90 days with the right mindset.
The Smart eBike trial at Burcham was one of our proudest rapid-execution programs. It reinforced that in the early days, getting a product into the hands of real users is more valuable than perfect code or polished interfaces.
