Product Management Toolkit

Feature prioritization, PRDs, and product discovery frameworks.

When to Use

• Prioritizing feature backlog

• Writing product requirements

• Analyzing customer interviews

• Planning sprints and roadmaps

• Making data-driven product decisions

RICE Prioritization

Formula

Score = (Reach × Impact × Confidence) / Effort

Factor Scale

Reach Users per quarter

Impact Massive=3, High=2, Medium=1, Low=0.5, Minimal=0.25

Confidence High=100%, Medium=80%, Low=50%

Effort Person-months

Example

Feature Reach Impact Confidence Effort Score

User Dashboard 500 3 (massive) 80% 5 240

Dark Mode 300 1 (medium) 100% 2 150

API Rate Limiting 1000 2 (high) 90% 3 600

Value vs Effort Matrix

       Low Effort    High Effort

High QUICK WINS BIG BETS Value [Prioritize] [Strategic]

Low FILL-INS TIME SINKS Value [Maybe] [Avoid]

PRD Template

Feature: [Name]

Problem Statement

What problem are we solving? For whom?

Success Metrics

• Primary: [Metric and target]
• Secondary: [Supporting metrics]

User Stories

As a [user], I want [capability] so that [benefit].

Requirements

Must Have (P0)

• [Requirement 1]

Should Have (P1)

• [Requirement 2]

Out of Scope

• [Explicit exclusion]

Design

[Link to designs or wireframes]

Technical Approach

[High-level technical approach]

Timeline

• Phase 1: [Scope] - [Date]
• Phase 2: [Scope] - [Date]

Open Questions

• [Question 1]

Customer Interview Framework

Structure (35 min)

Context (5 min)

• Role and responsibilities

• Current workflow

• Tools used

Problem Exploration (15 min)

• Pain points

• Frequency and impact

• Current workarounds

Solution Validation (10 min)

• Reaction to concepts

• Value perception

• Willingness to pay

Wrap-up (5 min)

• Other thoughts

• Referrals

Analysis Framework

Extract from each interview:

• Pain points with severity (high/medium/low)

• Feature requests with priority

• Jobs to be done patterns

• Key quotes for stakeholder communication

Sprint Planning

Capacity Planning

Sprint Capacity = Team Size × Days × Velocity Factor

Example: 5 engineers × 10 days × 0.7 = 35 story points

Story Point Guidelines

Points Complexity Example

1 Trivial Copy change

2 Simple Add field to form

3 Medium New API endpoint

5 Complex New feature with UI

8 Very Complex Integration with external service

13 Epic-level Break down further

MoSCoW Method

• Must Have: Critical for launch

• Should Have: Important but not critical

• Could Have: Nice to have

• Won't Have: Out of scope (this release)

Metrics Framework

North Star Metric

• What's the #1 value to users?

• Is it measurable and actionable?

• Does it predict business success?

Feature Success Metrics

• Adoption: % users using feature

• Frequency: Usage per user per week

• Retention: Continued usage over time

• Satisfaction: NPS/CSAT for feature

Best Practices

Writing PRDs

• Start with problem, not solution

• Include clear success metrics

• Explicitly state what's out of scope

• Use visuals (wireframes, flows)

Prioritization

• Mix quick wins with strategic bets

• Account for dependencies

• Buffer for unexpected work (20%)

• Revisit quarterly

Discovery

• Ask "why" 5 times

• Focus on past behavior, not intentions

• Look for emotional reactions

• Validate with data