Product Requirement Documents

There is great power in your PRD. A solid Product Requirements Document (PRD) is essential. It’s not just a formality—it’s the blueprint that guides a project from concept to manufacturing. It’s not just about stating what’s needed—like “battery must last 10 days”—but defining it precisely. For example, what usage conditions does “10 days” refer to? I had AA batteries in my Gameboy that lasted a couple of years because I rarely powered it on. It is doubtful you want those in your smartwatch. A revised statement might look more like this: “A fully charged battery must last at least 10 days under the following conditions: * Device is in standby mode 80% of the time with occasional checks (5 minutes per hour) for notifications. * GPS and Bluetooth are enabled for 4 hours daily with a maximum screen brightness of 50%. * Device operates between temperatures of -10°C to 40°C.” Here’s why a robust PRD matters: Alignment: Keeps design, engineering, and manufacturing teams on the same page, reducing miscommunication and rework. Clarity: Translates ideas into clear specifications, ensuring everyone understands the product’s vision and requirements. Efficiency: Streamlines development by outlining technical needs upfront, helping to avoid costly delays. A well-crafted PRD is the foundation for delivering high-quality products on time and within budget. How do you ensure your PRDs are effective? #Electronics #Manufacturing #Hardware #ProductDevelopment

How to write a Product Requirements Doc (PRD)? ✍️ A “Good” PRD usually contains the following sections: - Problem & Opportunity Statement - Goals & Success Metrics - Users - User Story - Concept mocks - Roadmap & Go-to-market plan - Open Questions A “Great” PRD adds more thoughts and depth: - Where should we play in this problem space? - Why are we uniquely positioned to “win” this? - Why now? What drives the urgency? - What user insights give us the conviction? - What are some product principles we follow? - What are the key trade-offs & decisions? - What are the risks & their mitigation plan? - What are the riskiest assumptions? What must be true for this idea to work? 👉 Here are additional tips to ensure the PRD lives to its fullest potential: [1] Use the writing process to clarify your thinking. [2] Make it easy to read and understand, including diagrams and charts, use bullet points, move as much as possible to an appendix, and highlight the controversial bits that need feedback/alignment. [3] Use the doc as the focal point for feedback. Writing PRD isn’t about handing your perfect plan over to the team - it’s about making the plan better! The final spec isn’t as valuable as the process you go through to write and collaborate on the doc. [4] Judgment > template. Don’t get overly-focused on picking the right template, focus on understanding the purpose of each section of the template, and how it may help drive desired outcomes for your product. [5] Focus on outcomes > output. Don’t overspend your time perfecting the PRD; your job isn’t to deliver a spec. You want to use it as a conduit to guide the team towards a concrete outcome. *** 💬 What other tips or examples you have about writing a great PRD? Share them to inspire the Linkedin community! *** 📌 If you are interested to learn more about generative AI product strategy, download a FREE gift giveaway based on content from my book, “Reimagined: Building Products with Generative AI” AND other PM career / job search guides and resources: https://lnkd.in/gRP_KNjz #ProductManagement #Careers

In my first role as a Business Analyst I used to get confused between BRD, FSD and PRD. So, here's a post that delineates the differences and the sequence they should be prepared in: For TLDR: Skip to the bottom 📄 BRD vs. FSD vs. PRD: Decoding the Documentation In the realm of product development, clear documentation ensures alignment and efficiency. Let's break down three pivotal documents and the sequence: 1. BRD (Business Requirements Document) – The "Why" 1.1 Purpose: Outlines the business objectives and rationale behind a project. 1.2 Focus: Business goals, stakeholder needs, and high-level requirements. 1.3 Audience: Business stakeholders, executives, and product managers. 1.4 Owner: Business Analyst or Product Manager. The BRD answers: Why are we undertaking this project? 2. FSD (Functional Specification Document) – The "How" 2.1 Purpose: Describes how the system will implement the product requirements. 2.2 Focus: Technical specifications, system architecture, and workflows. 2.3 Audience: Developers, QA engineers, and technical teams. 2.4 Owner: Engineering Lead or Technical Architect. The FSD explains: How will we build it? 3. PRD (Product Requirements Document) – The "What" 3.1Purpose: Details what the product will do to meet business objectives. 3.2 Focus: Features, user stories, and functional requirements. 3.3 Audience: Designers, developers, and QA teams. 3.4 Owner: Product Manager. The PRD addresses: What are we building? TLDR: In simpler words, it's the product feature from the eyes of different stakeholders BRD = The business owner's perspective FSD = The developer's perspective PRD = The user's perspective These documents can be prepared for the complete product or any particular feature in the product. Here the product could be an App, or website or a software etc. Understanding and effectively utilizing these documents ensures that teams are aligned, reducing miscommunication and enhancing product success. #ProductManagement #BusinessAnalysis #SoftwareDevelopment #BRD #PRD #FSD