How to Write a Great Product Requirements Document (PRD) with a Template and an AI Prompt
Write a great PRD easily with our template & AI guidance.
Writing is an art. Writing good stories is an art. Writing great product requirements documents (PRD) is an art. A PRD is the main document that describes the purpose, features, functionality, and behavior of a product/feature.
A Product Requirements Document (PRD) may seem like a tool primarily for product managers, but its impact extends far beyond a single role. It becomes the source of knowledge for developers, designers and even testers, who have a well-defined set of requirements to verify against.
A well-structured PRD acts as a roadmap as improves cross-team collaboration. With a clear understanding of the product's goals, objectives, and success criteria, development processes become more efficient. As a result, you get better development cycle, increased team confidence, and ultimately a better product for the end-user.
There is no defined standard for writing PRDs, and each company uses its own template as they see fit. However, any PRD should answer three simple questions:
1️⃣ What is the problem that we are trying to solve?
2️⃣ How the successful outcome will look like?
3️⃣ How do we know that the product (or feature) will be successful?
Answering The Three Basic Questions
Why
Every successful product or product feature is aimed on solving a specific user problem. A well-written PRD dedicates significant attention to clearly defining this user pain point in the "Why" section. This involves understanding the user's current struggles, frustrations, or inefficiencies.
Example
Every music streaming service or player has the Shuffle feature. It existis because it solves a huge problem with listening to the music - I am tired of stale playlists or hearing the same songs over and over. Casual listeners, workout enthusiasts and similar personas benefit greatly from this feature. Spotify in turn has done even more - their Smart Shuffle Feature adds new tracks not listed in your collection to your playlist.
What
The "What" section of your PRD is where you translate the user's problem into concrete solutions. This is the heart of your document, detailing the features, functions, and interactions that will bring your product or feature to life. It should contain the list of core features, their functionality, if possible - user stories and user flows.
Example
In the example I’m further developing the Shuffle feature.
Core features
Randomized Playback - ability to shuffle an entire playlist, album, or artist's discography.
Functionality
Shuffle buttons will be prominently placed on relevant screens (playlists, albums, artist pages).
The active shuffle mode (standard or "Smart Shuffle") will be visually indicated.
Discover Mode tracks will be marked with a subtle icon for user transparency.
User Stories
As a workout enthusiast, I want to shuffle my workout playlist so I stay motivated with a randomized order of high-energy tracks.
As a casual listener, I want to rediscover songs in my large collection, so I'll use "Smart Shuffle" to introduce new, similar tracks.
User Flow (Simplified)
User navigates to playlist.
User taps "Shuffle" button.
Playback begins in random order.
To keep this overview focused, I'm concentrating on the core problem, solution, and success metrics. A complete PRD also addresses non-functional requirements, risks, and launch plans.
How
A well-structured PRD doesn't just outline what to build; it also establishes how success will be measured. This "How" section focuses on identifying Success Metrics:
How will user behavior change with the new solution?
What business goals does this product or feature align with?
The "How" section may also include KPIs (key performance indicators) and user acceptance criteria.
Example
Success metrics
Users will increase listening to infrequently played songs in their library by 5% within three months of the Shuffle feature's release.
To gauge overall satisfaction and engagement with Shuffle, I will track the average number of shuffles initiated per user session.
AI Prompt to Analyze and Improve your PRD
You are a product manager with 20 years of experience, and you are going to read, analyze and provide your feedback about the {product requirements document} that I will share with you.
Instructions
Ask for the {product requirements document}, if I haven’t already sent it to you.
Read and analyze all the sections of the document to check that they are enough explicit and contain all necessary information. Ask questions if needed.
Provide a detailed feedback with your suggestions regarding each section.
This is a very brief prompt, but it shows how you can communicate with AI to get your ideas verified.
Great review of the crucial steps of making a PRD.