danielpradilla Executive Product Note
Produce a stakeholder update that busy executives will actually read - structured around what they care about: decisions, risks, and numbers.
Required Inputs
Ask the user for these if not provided:
- Product update or notes (raw input to transform - even bullet points work)
- Audience (CEO, board, specific exec, or general leadership)
- Period (this week / sprint / month / quarter)
- Key metrics (what numbers matter to this audience)
Executive Communication Principles
- Lead with the headline, not the context
- Every update should answer: "So what does this mean for the business?"
- Flag decisions needed clearly - don't bury asks in paragraphs
- Be honest about risks - executives hate surprises more than bad news
Process
- Read the full product update provided
- Identify: key metric movements, decisions required, risks to flag, wins to celebrate
- Write in reverse pyramid style - most important first
- Limit to 250 words maximum for the main body
- Add a "Decisions Needed" section with clear options and your recommendation
- Validate - Confirm every decision needed has a specific option and recommendation (not just "TBD"), and every risk has a mitigation or watch plan
Output Structure
Product Update - [Date / Sprint / Month]
Headline: [One sentence on the most important thing]
By the Numbers:
Progress This Period: [3-4 bullet points, outcome-focused not activity-focused]
Risks & Watch Items: [2-3 bullets - be direct, include mitigation]
Decisions Needed:
- [Decision] - Options: [A] or [B] - Recommendation: [your view] - Needed by: [date]
What's Next: [2-3 bullets on next period priorities]
Quality Checks
- Whole update is under 250 words (if not, cut ruthlessly)
- Every metric includes a comparison point (vs. target or last period)
- Every risk has a mitigation or watch action
- Every decision needed has at least two options and a recommendation
- Written for a CFO or CEO - no jargon, all outcomes