Product Requirements Document (PRD)

Generate comprehensive, production-grade PRDs that bridge the gap between business vision and technical execution.

When to Use This Skill

Trigger when:

• User wants to "write a PRD", "create product requirements", or "document a feature"
• Transitioning from Intake to PRD solidification phase
• User provides initial ideas, demos, or prototypes needing formalization
• User asks to "plan a feature", "define scope", or "clarify requirements"

Produces:

• prd/PRD.md - the main Product Requirements Document

Workflow

Decision Point: Discovery or Draft?

Ask clarifying questions FIRST when:

• User provides only vague idea ("build something cool")
• Critical details missing (who, what success looks like)
• Multiple reasonable interpretations possible

Skip to drafting when:

• User provides sufficient detail in initial request
• Clear problem statement + target users + success criteria provided
• User explicitly says "just write it" or provides complete context

Phase 1: Discovery (If Needed)

Gather context through targeted questions. Keep it brief - 3-5 questions max.

Typical Questions:

• Problem: What pain point are we solving?
• Why now: Why important at this time?
• Success: How will we measure success?
• Scope: What's in/out of scope?
• Users: Who are the target users?

Phase 2: Analysis & Synthesis

Synthesize understanding:

• Map key user flows
• Identify core business processes
• Define module boundaries
• List key pages/scenes
• Identify risks and dependencies

Phase 3: PRD Drafting

Generate document using the standard schema below, then:

1. Write the completed PRD to prd/PRD.md (create prd/ directory if needed)
2. Report the file path to the user
3. Ask if any section needs adjustment

PRD Schema (Use These Exact Section Names)

1. Background & Goals

Must include:

• Problem statement (what pain point?)
• Why now (why important at this time?)
• Success criteria (3-5 measurable KPIs)

2. User Personas

Must include:

• Primary users identified
• Their characteristics/jobs
• Current workflow pain points

3. Core Business Processes

Must include:

• Primary workflow steps
• Decision points
• Key user interactions

DO NOT include: Detailed state machines, API calls, database schemas

4. Module Boundaries

Must include:

• What modules/components involved
• How modules interact (high-level)
• External dependencies

DO NOT include: Technical implementation details, code structure

5. Pages & Scenes Inventory

Must include:

• List of key pages/scenes
• Entry conditions
• Exit conditions

6. Success Criteria

Must include:

• Quantitative metrics (not vague "fast", "easy")
• How each metric measured

Example:

• BAD: "The system should be fast"
• GOOD: "Search returns within 200ms for 10k records"

7. Scope / Non-Scope

Must include:

• What's built in this phase
• What's NOT built (explicitly)

8. Risks & Dependencies

Must include:

• Technical risks
• External dependencies
• Key assumptions

Quality Standards

Include (Do)

• Business context and motivation
• User roles and workflows
• Clear measurable success metrics
• Explicit scope boundaries
• Known risks and dependencies

Exclude (Don't)

These belong in SPEC, NOT PRD:

• Field types or data structures
• Database table designs
• API response structures
• Internal state machines
• Detailed error codes
• Technical architecture details
• Code-level implementation

Example: What Goes Where

Expert Insights

"The most important section is the first part - what is the background and context? What is the problem, why does it matter, and why does it matter now?" - Maggie Crowley

"Whenever we're devising a new product, we start by writing a press release describing it in a way that speaks to the customer." - Bill Carr

"We tend to keep them pretty light. I like to have the minimal amount of context that ensures everyone's on the same page." - Eric Simons

"If you're not prototyping and building to see what you want to build, you're doing it wrong." - Aparna Chennapragada

Common Mistakes to Avoid

1. Starting with solution - Always lead with problem and context
2. No success criteria - Every PRD needs measurable KPIs
3. Including technical details - Save API/schema for SPEC phase
4. Vague scope - Explicitly state what's NOT included
5. Missing "Why Now" - Justify timing, not just what and how
6. Over-detailing - Keep PRD lightweight; save depth for SPEC

Completion Criteria

Ensure at completion:

• Background clearly states problem and why now
• User personas identified
• Core business processes documented
• Module boundaries defined (high-level only)
• Pages/scenes inventory complete
• Success criteria are measurable
• Scope/non-scope explicitly listed
• Risks and dependencies documented
• NO technical implementation details

Output Location

Default to prd/PRD.md

Follow user's specified location if provided.

Always write to disk. Do not output the PRD only in the conversation.