This skill guides creation of comprehensive Product Requirements Documents (PRDs) that clearly define product features, requirements, and success criteria.
The user provides a feature idea, product concept, or requirement that needs to be documented. The skill helps structure this into a professional PRD that serves as a source of truth for development.
PRD Structure
A complete PRD should include the following sections:
1. Overview
- Title: Clear, descriptive name for the feature/product
- Author: Document owner
- Date: Created/last updated
- Status: Draft, In Review, Approved, or In Development
2. Problem Statement
- What problem are we solving?
- Who experiences this problem?
- Why is this important to solve now?
- What happens if we don't solve it?
3. Goals & Success Metrics
- Primary Goals: What are we trying to achieve?
- Success Metrics: How will we measure success? (quantifiable KPIs)
- Non-Goals: What is explicitly out of scope?
4. User Stories & Personas
- Who are the target users?
- What are their needs and pain points?
- User stories in format: "As a [user type], I want [goal] so that [benefit]"
5. Requirements
Functional Requirements
- Core features and functionality (numbered list)
- User interactions and workflows
- Business logic and rules
Non-Functional Requirements
- Performance expectations
- Security requirements
- Accessibility standards
- Browser/device support
6. User Experience
User Flow
- Step-by-step walkthrough of the user journey
- Entry points and exit points
- Decision trees and branching logic
Wireframes/Mockups (if applicable)
- Visual representation of key screens
- Navigation patterns
- Component specifications
7. Technical Considerations
- Architecture implications
- Data model changes
- API requirements
- Third-party integrations
- Performance considerations
- Migration/rollout strategy
8. Dependencies & Assumptions
- What needs to exist before this can be built?
- What are we assuming to be true?
- Blockers or risks
9. Open Questions
- Unresolved decisions
- Areas needing further research
- Items requiring stakeholder input
10. Timeline & Milestones
- Proposed phases or milestones (avoid specific dates, focus on sequence)
- MVP vs. full feature scope
- Release strategy
Workflow
When creating a PRD:
Gather Context: Ask clarifying questions about the feature/product:
- What problem does this solve?
- Who is the target user?
- What are the must-have vs. nice-to-have features?
- Are there any constraints (technical, timeline, resources)?
Research Existing Patterns: If working in an existing codebase:
- Review similar features for consistency
- Understand current architecture and patterns
- Identify reusable components or patterns
Structure the Document: Create a well-organized PRD following the structure above:
- Start with a clear problem statement
- Define measurable success criteria
- Detail requirements with specificity
- Include user flows and technical considerations
Be Specific: Avoid vague language:
❌ "The system should be fast"
✅ "API responses should return in <200ms for 95% of requests"
❌ "Users can manage their profile"
✅ "Users can update their name, email, avatar, and notification preferences from the profile settings page"
Validate Completeness: Ensure the PRD answers:
- WHY: Why are we building this?
- WHO: Who is this for?
- WHAT: What exactly are we building?
- HOW: How will it work (user perspective)?
- WHEN: What's the phased approach?
- SUCCESS: How do we know it's working?
Output Format
Generate the PRD as a well-formatted Markdown document based on the template that can be saved to the project's documentation directory (e.g., docs/prd/ or .github/prd/).
Use clear formatting:
- Headings for sections
- Numbered lists for requirements
- Tables for comparing options
- Code blocks for technical specs
- Checkboxes for tracking items
Best Practices
- Clarity over Cleverness: Write for diverse audiences (designers, engineers, PMs, stakeholders)
- Measurable Goals: Every goal should have quantifiable success metrics
- User-Centric: Always tie back to user value and problems being solved
- Living Document: PRDs should evolve; include revision history
- Validate Assumptions: Call out what's assumed vs. validated
- Scope Management: Clearly define what's in scope vs. out of scope
- Visual Aids: Include diagrams, flows, and mockups when helpful
Example Usage
User: "Create a PRD for adding a shopping cart to our e-commerce site"
Agent should:
- Ask clarifying questions (guest checkout? saved carts? cart sharing?)
- Research existing product/checkout patterns in the codebase
- Generate comprehensive PRD covering all sections
- Save to appropriate location (e.g.,
docs/prd/shopping-cart.md)