Minimum Viable Opening

Minimum Viable Opening (MVO) is the standard you use to decide whether the office is ready to open. It’s not “finished” — it’s usable. An office meets MVO when it’s safe, accessible, clean, powered, connected, furnished enough for the people arriving, meetable (at least a couple of working rooms or an agreed alternative), stocked with basics, and clear about what’s done versus in progress.

Why you care: without a written MVO, every unfinished detail feels equally urgent and you end up firefighting cosmetics. With one, you can calmly say that’s a day-one blocker; that’s a post-opening punch item — and spend your energy where it counts.

Write your own one-paragraph version early and keep it visible. It’s the reference behind nearly every prioritization call you’ll make.

Full guide: Minimum Viable Opening. Related idea: opening-critical vs. post-opening.