MVP Design & Prototyping for Vibe Coders

Because the hardest part of building an app isn't writing the code, it's deciding what to build - and how the first session needs to feel. Vibe coding is fast, which means you can spend 6 weeks vibe coding the wrong product just as easily as the right one. The biggest drivers of MVP success aren't code quality, they're product strategy, onboarding, and the first session experience. Our job is to validate your idea against real users, then hand you a complete strategy, design, and clickable prototype where those high-impact moments are designed in detail - so you spend your vibe coding time building something that will actually find and retain users. The strategy and design phase typically saves 3 to 6 months of building, scrapping, and rebuilding.

Four things, all build-ready. A validated product strategy (target user, core problem, monetisation model, success metrics, competitive positioning). A full UI/UX design system (typography, colour, components, screens, every flow) with onboarding and the first session experience designed in extra detail because that is where most MVP success is won or lost. A clickable Figma prototype your users can walk through and your developers (or AI tools) can build against pixel-perfect. And a written build spec covering feature priority, data model, API surface, third-party integrations, and edge cases - so nothing gets invented mid-build.

Yes - this is exactly how we design the deliverables. Modern AI coding tools (Cursor, Claude Code, Lovable, Replit, v0) work best when you feed them a clear design reference and structured build spec. Our prototype is built in Figma with a complete design system and components, and we export developer-friendly specs that paste directly into your AI coding tool's context. Several of our recent clients have used the prototype as the primary input for their AI-assisted build.

Typically 6 to 10 weeks end-to-end. Validation runs 4 to 6 weeks (real ad spend, real landing pages, real users in your target audience, ending in a GO, PIVOT, or NO-GO recommendation). Strategy and design runs in parallel and after validation, taking 3 to 6 weeks depending on app complexity. You finish with a complete strategy doc, full UI/UX design, clickable prototype, and build spec - ready to vibe code or hand to a developer.

Yes, in two ways. We offer a build-support retainer ($2,500 to $7,500 per month) where you can book design clarifications, prototype updates, and product strategy calls as you build. Or you can engage us at fixed milestones (post-MVP review, pre-launch audit, App Store Optimisation setup) without an ongoing retainer. The retainer model works best for founders who want a strategic sounding board as they build; the milestone model works best for founders who want to stay independent until they hit a specific gate.

You have three options. One: we step in for paid build support (we can take over the build, or pair-code with you to unblock specific features). Two: we refer you to one of our trusted developer partners (we pre-vet for vibe-coding-friendly workflows and design-spec adherence). Three: we keep the engagement strictly to strategy, design, and prototype, and you take the build forward however you want. We tell you up front which option fits your situation best.

A complete strategy + design + prototype engagement typically runs $25,000 to $65,000 total, depending on app complexity. This breaks down into validation ($5,000 to $20,000 over 4 to 6 weeks) and strategy + design + prototype ($20,000 to $45,000 over 3 to 6 weeks). Most validation-only engagements are $5,000 to $20,000 if you want to test the idea before committing to design. Build-support retainers run $2,500 to $7,500 per month if you want ongoing strategic input during your vibe coding sprint. Everything is fixed-fee per phase so you can budget confidently.

You do, in full. Every engagement starts with an IP assignment and NDA - on signing, you own all design files, prototype assets, strategy documents, build specs, and any related work product outright. We assign IP on delivery, not on completion of the broader engagement, so even mid-project you own what we have produced. We can supply our NDA template or sign yours, and we have signed enterprise IP and confidentiality agreements with clients including major retail brands and listed health companies since 2010.