Pm Prd

PM PRD

Industry-neutral PRDs. No fabrication (evidence, metrics, quotes, stakeholder facts). Unknowns → PM input required + what closes the gap.

Formatting conventions (required)

• Header field format is: Status | Owner | Last updated.
• Status values must start with a capital letter (for example: Draft, In review, Approved, Deprecated).
• Owner label is Owner only (do not use Owner (DRI)).
• Last updated date format is DD MMM YY (for example: 20 Apr 26).
• PRD track field label is PRD track, and track values must start with a capital letter (Stakeholder or Exploration).

Modes

Name the mode first: Draft | Update | Audit.

Update — PRD track / Track variant (when triggered)

Not a full Draft / C0 on every edit. Run when either:

1. Promotion — Edit applies or continues exploration → stakeholder (Promotion).
2. Material change — Any touched: Solution In / Out / material scope · new or expanded non–eng+PM approver · money / regulated / material PII / partner or contract / public API · hard rollback (schema, pricing, irreversible state, etc. — same themes as Quick triage) · PM raises stakes explicitly.

If triggered: Confirm PRD track and (if stakeholder) Track variant still fit.

• Changed → update header + one line in Decision log (Decision | Rationale | Date | Revisit trigger).
• Unchanged → no track-only log line; if promotion ran, still Promotion backfill + coherence.
• Neither → skip.

Opening (Draft): Say Draft → C0 (PRD track + triage if unknown) → Checkpoints unless PM set an escape hatch (e.g. through C3, C0 only).

Cadence: Checkpoints = default pauses. Tone: Rigor, not bloat.

PRD track (Draft — required)

Ask first: Track known, or unknown?

• Known — PRD track: Stakeholder | Exploration. Stakeholder → Track variant: full | lite (default full if omitted). Follow structure below.
• Unknown — Quick triage → default Exploration; say so explicitly. Promotion when stakes rise.

Track choice = alignment burden × reversibility × evidence (not “how much AI”).

Quick triage (unknown track)

Short answers. Any clear yes → stakeholder. Pick lite if alignment matters but a full MoSCoW REQ set is premature (Stakeholder-lite). Else full.

• Regulated / money / material PII / contractual partner?
• Approvers beyond eng + PM (legal, security, partner, exec)?
• Hard rollback (schema, pricing, public API, irreversible user state)?

All no → Exploration.

Stakeholder track

High alignment, complex or reversible bets, many reviewers → Canonical structure. Track variant: full unless Stakeholder-lite.

Stakeholder-lite (Track variant: lite)

Stakeholder decision hygiene, lighter REQs, default implementer handoff (stakeholder-leaning triage without full MoSCoW breadth yet).

Header: PRD track: Stakeholder · Track variant: lite.

Section order (differs from full after ## Solution):
## Solution → ## Execution spec (agent-ready) (same bullets as that heading under Exploration track structure) → ## Functional requirements (Must only) → ## Non-functional requirements → ## Implementation & dependencies → ## Cross-functional launch readiness → ## Risks, assumptions, and open questions → ## Appendix (optional).

Lite minimum

Thin: Short secondary metrics; defer non-Must REQs to promotion or full.

Execution spec: Include after Solution (paste-ready). Waive only with Execution spec: waived by PM in header or under the section.

Exploration track

Fast learning, small blast radius, easy rollback, few approvers → Exploration track structure. Prefer ## Execution spec (agent-ready) over long REQ tables. REQ-* Must only for sign-off / audit.

Promotion (exploration → stakeholder)

When: New approvers; compliance / partner / contract pressure; irreversible data; scope hits high-risk surfaces; PM locks for launch.

Do: PRD track: Stakeholder; Track variant: full unless lite still fits; optional promotion date on header. Backfill: ## Functional requirements (Must ↔ in-scope), NFRs, Launch readiness, metrics/sources, Appendix; add ## Execution spec (agent-ready) for lite or when handoff needs it. Re-run coherence + readiness.

Session end (required)

Draft/Update changed the PRD body → run Coherence pass (below) unless PM waives for that turn.

1. Re-read full PRD.
2. Coherence pass.
3. Report coherence findings in chat only; do not add a Coherence pass section to the PRD deliverable unless the PM explicitly requests it.

Readiness checklist: optional (Readiness).

Canonical structure — stakeholder (Track variant: full)

Use another template only if the PM supplies it.

Lite (Track variant: lite): Same section order as full, except after ## Solution insert ## Execution spec (agent-ready) and keep ## Functional requirements to Must rows only — details under Stakeholder-lite.

Header (no ##)

# <Title> · one-line verb-led description · Status | Owner | Last updated (Draft | In review | Approved | Deprecated; bump on material edits) · PRD track: Stakeholder · Track variant: full | lite (default full) · if lite + waived execution spec: Execution spec: waived by PM (header or under section) · no version / links in header. Last updated must use DD MMM YY.

## User problem

Primary user · pain · evidence (signal, source, time window) · optional adjacent users · ≤1 labeled hypothesis · quotes only if strong + sourced

## Business problem

Stakes · strategic fit / why now · constraints / assumptions · stakeholders (roles) · metrics in prose OK · non-goals → Solution Scope → Out of scope

## Goals, success metrics, and guardrails

Goals (short) · primary / secondary metrics · guardrails. Per metric: Metric | Definition | Baseline | Target | Time window | Source of truth — else TBD / PM input required

## Solution

### Overview · optional ### User flow · optional ### Alternatives · ### Scope (In / Out; non-goals in Out). UI-heavy: platforms/surfaces required; else optional.

## Functional requirements

Full: By capability (default); journey grouping if UI-heavy/funnel (PM confirms). REQ-01… — requirement · MoSCoW (Must / Should / Could / Won’t) · testable AC · one-line traceability · optional deps. Must ↔ Solution In scope (flag drift).

Lite: Must rows only (unless PM expands); same ID / AC / traceability.

## Non-functional requirements

Discussed buckets only. Security + privacy = one bucket. Accessibility: UI-heavy or PM asks. Each: requirement + target or TBD + how verified

## Implementation & dependencies

Discussed only. Interfaces & contracts if external integration. Data & analytics if Goals list metrics. Subsection Rollout & milestones. Reversibility (Path 2): Rollback, ramp-down, and kill.

## Cross-functional launch readiness

Non-empty buckets only. Order: QA → Support → Ops → Comms → Approvals. Skip Comms if solo/non-public.

## Risks, assumptions, and open questions

Risks (if any) · assumptions + H/M/L confidence · open questions: Question | Owner | Due date | Default if unresolved · Decision log always: Decision | Rationale | Date | Revisit trigger

## Appendix

Label | Link | Note when citing artifacts; else omit. Shareable URLs; no invented local URLs; git blob only if remote/branch confirmed.

Exploration track structure

Header: Same fields as stakeholder Header, but PRD track: Exploration and no Track variant. Omit empty sections.

## User problem / ## Business problem

Same intent as stakeholder; shorter OK if gaps labeled. Why now (or pointer to Goals).

## Prioritization logic (short)

Why this bet now: confidence gap · speed to learn · reversibility · learning value. PM input required if unset.

## Goals, success metrics, and guardrails

Stakeholder rules when metrics exist; else goals + guardrails + TBD + gap.

## Exploration (AI-assisted)

Hypotheses · approaches tried/queued · tested artifacts (links or to be created) · learnings · decision: chosen path, why, tradeoffs. Heavy optionality → optional ### Alternatives.

## Solution

### Overview · ### User flow (preferred) · ### Scope (In / Out)

## Execution spec (agent-ready)

Paste-ready (e.g. Cursor, Claude Code): goal · inputs (user + system) · outputs · core logic · edge cases · constraints (tech, partner/API, legal) · open questions blocking build. Does not replace decision log.

## Prototype & artifacts (optional)

Mocks, branches, experiments, API sketches. None → omit. To be created only if PM commits.

## Learning agenda

Unknowns · what slice tests · success/failure signals · rollback / blast radius (flag, dark launch, revert…) · kill / pause — encouraged; TBD / PM input required OK. → Rollback, ramp-down, and kill.

## Functional requirements (light)

Must only for sign-off, compliance, partner language — or omit until promotion; lean on Execution spec.

## Non-functional requirements / ## Implementation & dependencies / ## Cross-functional launch readiness

Same as Canonical for those headings; non-empty buckets only. Launch often thin early.

## Risks, assumptions, and open questions / ## Appendix

Same as Canonical.

Solution vs Execution (both in the doc)

Option A — split authority (single source of truth per layer).

Precedence

1. Scope — Solution wins until PM edits it. Must REQs that define scope stay aligned with Solution.
2. Behavior — Execution spec wins vs conflicting Solution prose; update Solution later or log conflict in coherence.
3. Must REQ (sign-off / compliance / partner) vs execution spec → coherence flag only; PM resolves; no silent winner.

Rollback, ramp-down, and kill (encouraged)

Strength: Encouraged; TBD / PM input required OK.

Path 2 (stakeholder) — Add a short note if any: flag / experiment · canary / phased · partner pilot · migration / schema · pricing / commercial terms · new/changed public API or partner/contract surface · triage flagged hard rollback · PM says gated/reversible ship.

If Path 2: Ramp-down / revert / disable (or owner) or Irreversible — mitigation: …. Unknown → one-line gap + what closes it.

Exploration: Nudge rollback/kill on learning slices; TBD OK.

Checkpoints (Draft)

Pause before the next layer (not every subsection). Tune cadence after use if needed.

Escape hatch: through Cn → draft to Cn, pause. C0 only → still C0 + session-end coherence; agent may warn once on drift risk.

Phased batching ≈ C1→C4; C5 when Launch/Approvals appear.

Phased draft (Draft)

Follow Checkpoints unless an escape hatch is set.

• Stakeholder full: Header → User → Business → Goals → Solution → Functional REQs → NFRs → Implementation → Launch → Risks → Appendix
• Stakeholder lite: Same through Goals → Solution → Execution spec (unless waived) → Must REQs → NFRs → Implementation → Launch → Risks → Appendix
• Exploration: Header + triage line → User → Business → Prioritization → Goals → Exploration → Solution + Execution spec → Learning agenda → light REQs → NFRs / Implementation / Launch → Risks → Appendix

Solution-first OK; anchor User/Business before locking execution. Session end before close.

Readiness (on request or post-checkpoints)

• Stakeholder full: Must REQs ↔ in-scope + metrics · measurable guardrails · data/analytics if Goals have metrics · QA / Support/Ops if risky · open Qs: Owner, Due, Default · Solution vs Must drift · Solution vs Execution if both sections exist · Path 2 → Implementation: reversibility, or irreversible + mitigation, or gap + owner
• Stakeholder lite: Execution spec or waiver · spec ↔ in-scope · Solution vs Execution · Must REQs ↔ in-scope + metrics · Approvals if non–eng+PM approvers · decision log · open Qs · Path 2 → Implementation (same as full)
• Exploration: Execution ↔ in-scope · Solution vs Execution · guardrails · Learning agenda: signals, rollback/kill or TBD · promotion triggers

Output: Criterion | Pass/Gap | Fix

Coherence pass

After body edits (session end) or coherence check.

• Stakeholder full: User/Business/Goals/Solution/Must REQs · Solution vs Execution (Option A) · Path 2 applies per doc → Implementation covers reversibility or gaps (no invented rollout facts) · terminology · definitions · list order = priority · tables/lists consistent
• Stakeholder lite: Same + spec ↔ Solution/Must when spec present; if waived, flag Solution/Must gaps the spec would have closed · Solution vs Execution when both exist
• Exploration: User/Business/Goals/Solution/Execution spec/Learning agenda · Solution vs Execution (scope / behavior / Must sign-off) · Learning agenda: rollback/kill or TBD for experimental slices · Must REQs ↔ scope · promotion need

Output: Issue | Location | Suggested fix (dedupe)

Audit mode

End-to-end: gaps vs active track (+ Track variant if stakeholder) · readiness · coherence · top 5 actions · promote exploration if needed · lite gaps (Must-only, Approvals, execution spec or waiver)

Output contract

One deliverable: PRD at PM path. No side files unless PM asks.

• Do not include internal process sections in the PRD markdown output (for example: Coherence pass, checkpoint logs, or workflow notes) unless explicitly requested by the PM.

Triggers: write a PRD, draft a spec, update section …, review this PRD, readiness, coherence check, product requirements for …

Related skills

• PM Product Strategy (pm-product-strategy) — direction, scope, and bets before PRD lock when still unclear.