Step by step: Build your first healthcare MVP for free
A guide created by a clinician entrepreneur: Dr. Akash Patel
Dr. Akash Patel, PT, DPT, Pn1, FRCms, is a physical therapist, entrepreneur, and founder of NaranFit, a system designed to optimize physical function via a milestone-based approach. NaranFit is currently in beta testing and user validation and progressing rapidly. Below, he outlines how he built his first MVP (for free), along with links and resources to help turn that idea in your head into a reality.
As a clinician, trying to turn an idea into something meaningful from scratch can appear daunting. Bringing an idea to life often seems tethered to having substantial financial resources or technical expertise. With a passion for melding healthcare with technological advancements, I faced the common hurdle of limited resources while embarking on a new project.
However, free tech tools available today, like Notion, Lucid, and Zapier, provided me a gateway to overcome this obstacle. These tools, when utilized effectively, can significantly propel an idea from mere conceptualization to a tangible, operational project.
Let’s dive in.
Step 1: Identifying the Right Tools
Step 2: Structuring Your Project on Notion
Step 3: Automating Workflow with Zapier
Step 4: Testing and Iterating Your Idea
TL;DR: There are tons of free tools out there to help bring your project or idea to life.
Step 1: Identifying the Right Tools
The foundation of any project largely hinges on selecting the right set of tools that align with the envisioned goals. Notion, Lucid, Zapier, and MailChimp became my allies in this journey. The best part? I didn’t spend a single dime! The free versions of these tools are generous, making them perfect for anyone starting out.
Step 2: Structuring Your Project on Notion
Notion quickly became my favorite tool, structuring my entire project through its versatility. From documenting ideas to setting timelines and fostering collaboration among team members, Notion became the foundation of my project. It offers flexibility, morphing into various applications, whether a database or a document editor. It doesn’t have to be pretty initially; it just needs to work. The scrappy version I put together in only an hour demonstrates that:
Also, using Lucid to create a “mind map” helped me visualize patterns and opportunities:
Step 3: Automating Workflow with Zapier
Efficiency is crucial when time is limited, and automation is a game changer. Zapier, with its ability to create automated workflows between different tools, significantly reduced my manual input, allowing me to focus on more critical project aspects, an essential feature for clinicians balancing demanding work hours. It’s relatively simple to learn; you can see here I’ve connected new subscribers on Mailchimp to my newsletter on Ghost:
Step 4: Testing and Iterating Your Idea
Every idea is a hypothesis waiting to be tested, and as clinicians, we’re constantly validating ideas in patient care. Seeking immediate feedback from potential end-users and iterating based on this feedback was crucial in refining my project (much like using patient feedback to modify a plan of care). This feedback loop helped align the project closer to the needs and expectations of my target audience. Frequent one-week feedback sprints while testing with users (all tracked through Notion) allowed me to iterate into new versions of my idea.
TL;DR: There are tons of free tools out there to help bring your project or idea to life.
Exploring free tech tools not only bridges the resource gap but also opens up avenues for better project management and execution. Converting an idea from nothing into something substantial is a testament to the power of modern-day tools available to everyone. I encourage aspiring project developers, especially clinicians, to delve into these tools and explore their potential in transforming ideas into meaningful ventures with minimal investment.
The power to turn your ideas into reality is within your reach. It’s up to you to wield the tools at your disposal and bring your ideas to life.
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