A concierge MVP delivers the product's value manually — by hand, visibly, to a handful of users — before any software exists. Users know a human is doing the work; what's being tested is whether the outcome is worth paying for.
Software automates a workflow. A concierge MVP proves the workflow deserves automation — for a fraction of a build budget.
Once five to ten users get consistent value, the manual playbook becomes the product spec. You automate the steps that consumed the most of your time first.
Practical answers
In a concierge MVP, users know it's manual. In a wizard-of-oz MVP, the product looks automated while humans operate it behind the scenes.
Five to ten committed users is usually enough to see the pattern — the goal is depth of learning, not statistical significance.
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