Pm Value Anchor

PM Value Anchor

Use this skill before or during requirement intake when the value of a request is not explicit enough.

The goal is to answer: if this work succeeds, what meaningful result should change?

Core Job

Create a compact value anchor that clarifies:

• who benefits
• what problem changes
• what success looks like
• what minimum version still counts as success
• what evidence could later prove or challenge the decision

This skill prevents the workflow from producing precise rules for a low-value or poorly framed request.

Use When

Use when:

• a request starts from a proposed solution instead of a clear problem
• success criteria are implicit
• a feature could be scoped many ways
• the request may be too broad for the current stage
• the user asks why a requirement matters or how to prioritize it
• a downstream PRD/demo/prototype risks becoming "complete but not compelling"

Do Not Use When

Do not force this skill when:

• the request is tiny and low-risk
• the value is already obvious and stable
• the user only needs a quick copy/config adjustment
• there is no product decision to clarify

Value Anchor Questions

Answer only what is useful for the request.

1. Beneficiary

• Who benefits directly?
• Who benefits indirectly?
• Which role feels the pain now?

2. Current Problem

• What is hard, slow, confusing, risky, or impossible today?
• What workaround exists?
• What fails if nothing changes?

3. Desired Outcome

• What should become easier, clearer, faster, safer, or more valuable?
• What user behavior or business result should change?
• What should reviewers be able to agree on?

4. Minimum Success

• If only 30% of the idea can be kept, what must remain?
• Which part proves the core value?
• Which part is polish or later expansion?

5. Evidence

• What data, user feedback, review result, usage signal, delivery milestone, or reduction in rework would support success?
• What evidence would show the idea was weak or scoped incorrectly?

Output Format

## Value anchor
- Target beneficiary:
- Current problem:
- Desired outcome:
- Minimum success version:
- Evidence to watch:
- Scope implication:
- Recommended next step:

Relationship With Other Skills

• Use before pm-requirement-intake when success is fuzzy.
• Feed the value anchor into pm-requirement-intake as context.
• Use with request-triage when workflow depth depends on value and risk.
• Use with freeze-readiness-check when deciding whether a baseline is meaningful enough to preserve.

Self-Check

Before finishing, check:

• Did I distinguish value from implementation detail?
• Did I define minimum success instead of listing every possible feature?
• Did I leave enough evidence hooks for later review?
• Did I avoid turning a small request into a strategy memo?