Broken By Design: is this $14.99 stack worth it for Software Development?
Quick answer
| Best for | Product managers and founders tired of shipping “minimum functioning products” that erode user trust instead of generating insight. |
| Skip if | You are looking for a general software engineering handbook, or if you don’t have an active product decision that needs validation right now. |
| Price | $14.99 |
| Format | 162-page PDF, 162-page ePUB, and 2 Notion templates |
| One-line take | A practical playbook that redefines the MVP as a learning tool, not a feature shortcut, complete with frameworks to stop overbuilding. |
What you’re actually buying
If you’ve ever watched a team spend three months building a “minimum” version of a feature only to realize it answered no real questions, you know the specific pain of the MVP trap. It’s not that the code is bad; it’s that the intent behind the release was broken from the start. Broken By Design attacks this exact problem head-on. Brendin du Plessis doesn’t just repeat the standard “ship fast” advice; he argues that most MVPs are actually “Minimum Functioning Products”—half-baked slices of value that fail to drive decision-making.
The core of the book is a shift in mindset: treating your first release as an experiment rather than a product. You get two distinct archetypes to work with—Problem-Solving MVPs and Opportunity-Seeking MVPs—and specific metrics to judge their success. For the former, you’ll learn to track solve rates and time-to-resolution. For the latter, the book walks you through smoke tests and pre-sales strategies. This isn’t abstract theory; it’s a 162-page guide packed with 20+ real-world scenarios, including failed MVPs and industry missteps, so you can see exactly where the logic breaks down. (Broken By Design)
What makes this $14.99 package feel substantial is the inclusion of two Notion templates. These aren’t just decorative; they are ready-to-use worksheets and planning boards that map directly to the classification frameworks in the text. If you’re a product leader trying to align stakeholders who just want “features,” the templates give you a tangible artifact to share. You’re buying a system to win buy-in without authority, manage resistance, and shift control over time. It’s a complete loop: read the framework, apply the exercise, and track the outcome in a tool your team already uses. (Broken By Design)
Why it’s on our radar
This book stands out because it addresses a cultural failure in product development that most guides ignore. The industry has conflated “minimum” with “low quality,” leading to a cycle of eroding trust with users who see a clunky, incomplete product. Broken By Design is interesting because it offers a corrective: a way to deliver small, intentional releases that accelerate insight.
The specificity of the deliverables is also notable. Many “product strategy” books are 300 pages of fluff, but this 162-page PDF (and ePUB) is dense with actionable steps. The inclusion of the Notion templates bridges the gap between reading and doing, which is often where product teams stall. If you’re trying to cut through the noise of “hot takes” and trend traps, this feels like a grounded, practical resource rather than a thought-leadership piece. (Broken By Design)
What actually matters
Before you commit, look at the format of the learning. The book relies heavily on “hands-on classification exercises.” If you prefer passive reading, you might not get the full value. The real power is in applying the “Problem-Solving vs. Opportunity-Seeking” framework to your current backlog. (Broken By Design)
Check if your team is ready for the “Lean but Complete” testing approach. This method requires scoping MVPs that answer specific questions without overbuilding. If your stakeholders are resistant to “incomplete” releases, the chapter on winning buy-in is critical. It provides techniques to influence without authority, which is essential for most product managers who don’t have direct control over engineering resources. (Broken By Design)
Finally, verify that the Notion templates match your existing workspace setup. They are designed to be “ready-to-use,” but if you have a highly customized Notion database structure, you may need to adapt them. The templates include MVP classification frameworks and planning boards, which are the most actionable parts of the book. (Broken By Design)
Mid-check
If you’re ready to stop shipping “minimum functioning products” and start building smarter from the start, this is the tool for you. (Broken By Design)
FAQ
What is the difference between an MVP and an MFP? The book defines the “Minimum Functioning Product” (MFP) trap as delivering small, but meaningless, slices of value. An MVP, in this context, is a small, intentional release designed to drive real learning. The guide provides specific red flags to help you identify which one you’re actually building. (Broken By Design)
Who is this book for? It’s written for Product Managers, founders, and product teams. If you’re a developer who only cares about code architecture, this might be less relevant. But if you’re involved in product decisions, validation, or stakeholder management, the frameworks are directly applicable. (Broken By Design)
What formats are included? You get a 162-page PDF, a 162-page ePUB, and two Notion templates. The PDF and ePUB contain the full text, including the 20+ real-world examples and exercises. The Notion templates are the practical companion to the text. (Broken By Design)
Bottom line
If your team is stuck in a loop of shipping features that don’t move the needle, Broken By Design offers a clear way out. It’s not just a book; it’s a playbook for reclaiming the true purpose of the Minimum Viable Product. At $14.99, you’re getting a dense, 162-page guide with practical frameworks and ready-to-use Notion templates. It’s a smart investment for any product leader who wants to build smarter, not just faster.