In 2011 Eric Ries published The Lean Startup. The book named a practice already common in new companies. It is the minimum viable product.
Ries defines it as the fastest way to get through the build-measure-learn loop. His example was Zappos. The founder posted photos of shoes from local stores online. When an order came in, he bought the shoes at full price.
The test answered the real question. Would anyone buy shoes on the web? The website cost almost nothing, and it produced a real answer.