MVP Launch Checklist: 17 Questions to Answer Before You Go Live

Getting an MVP built is a big milestone. But before you put it in front of real users, there are some questions you need to be able to answer. Not because your first version has to be perfect, but because these are the things that hurt when they go wrong after launch: lost data, broken apps, security issues and users with nobody to turn to.

Here's the checklist I go through before any app goes live. If you can answer every question, you're in good shape. If you can't, that's where to focus before launch day.

Data and privacy

• What user data are you collecting, and why do you need it? Only collect what the product actually needs.

• Where is it stored? Know which services and regions your data lives in. It matters for UK GDPR and for user trust.

• Can a user request, export or delete their data? You'll need a process for this, and the App Store requires in-app account deletion for apps that let users create accounts.

Security and authentication

• Can you explain your authentication? How are tokens stored on the device? When do they expire, and how are they refreshed?

• What can each user see? Check that users can only access their own data, and test it rather than assume it.

Your API and app versions

• How are you versioning your API and controlling changes? Once an app is in the stores, you no longer control which version people are running.

• What happens when someone doesn't update their app? Old versions will keep calling your API. Plan for backwards compatibility, or have a way to prompt (or force) users to update.

• How does your app handle third-party dependencies? If a payment provider, map service or AI API goes down or changes, what does your user see?

Releases and testing

• What test plan do you have before a release goes out? At minimum, the critical flows (sign-up, log-in, payments and the core feature) should be tested on every release.

• Do you have a staging environment? Somewhere that mirrors production, so you're not testing on live users.

• Can you roll back a deployment or migration that goes wrong? Know the steps before you need them, not at 11pm on launch night.

Monitoring and resilience

• How do you know when something fails? Crash reporting and error alerts mean you hear about problems before your users email you.

• What performance metrics are you tracking? Response times, error rates and app start-up time are a good place to start.

• How many users can your application handle? You don't need to handle a million, but you should know roughly where your limits are.

• What's your backup strategy? Automated database backups, and a restore you've actually tested.

Analytics and support

• What analytics are you tracking? Decide which actions show that the product is working, such as sign-ups, activation and retention, and make sure you're measuring them from day one.

• How can users report a problem, and who deals with it? Even a simple support email with a named owner is better than nothing.

You don't need to be perfect, just prepared

None of this means over-engineering your MVP. Most of these answers can be simple: a managed database with automatic backups, a crash-reporting tool, a staging environment and a short written test plan. The point is that you've thought about it before real users depend on your product, not after something breaks.

These are the sorts of questions you need to be able to answer before you go live and start to scale.

Launch-ready by default

When I build an MVP through my V1 Sprint, this checklist is part of what "launch-ready" means: analytics and crash reporting in place from day one, a tested release, and the code, accounts and documentation set up in your name.

If you're getting close to launch and aren't sure you can answer all of these, get in touch. I also review existing apps, including AI-built ones, to find the gaps before your users do.