How to define product requirements?

Product requirements document: A quick intro

Experts in the product development field might question the relevance and need of a Product Requirements Document (PRD) - especially when it comes to Agile development. After all, Agile favors working software over comprehensive documentation.

Yet, despite the shift toward more flexible, iterative processes, PRDs continue to hold significant value. They provide a well-articulated vision and act as a foundational piece that guides the product's journey, bridging the gap between stakeholders and development teams. Certainly, in a carefully balanced Agile environment, PRDs remain a widely used and powerful tool. Do you want to get familiar with PRDs? Keep reading our article to know more.

What a Product Requirements Document should include? 3 Steps to write your PRD

Set the product's objective

The first step in crafting the PRD is determining what your product aims to achieve, the problem it's designed to solve, and the opportunity it’s intended to seize. This is the stage where the PRD gets a direction that will guide the subsequent steps. Consider answering questions that will help you clarify the path the product will take and its main objective:

• What are the key needs of the users?

• What business goals does the product align with?

• What market gap or customer demand is the product trying to fill?

• How will the product deliver value to the users?

1. Translate the objective into functionalities and features

Break down the overall objective into specific features that your product will offer. These are the tangible aspects that will bring your product's purpose to life. For each feature, describe what it does, who it's for, and how it will benefit the user. These detailed descriptions will provide valuable guidance to the development team as they start the design and development process.

2. Set criteria for release goals

Establish the benchmarks or targets that need to be achieved for the product to be ready for release. Defining the criteria for product release is crucial in keeping the development process on track. The release criteria should be measurable goals that will demonstrate the product is ready for deployment. This might include functional requirements, performance goals, usability, and other deliverables. It also establishes a benchmark for quality assurance during the testing phase.

Establish a development timeline

Define the schedule for each phase of product development, including deadlines for key milestones. Your PRD should include a clear and realistic timeline for the product development process. This includes key milestones and deadlines for the stages of development, including ideation, design, development, testing, and release. The timeline should be agreed upon by all stakeholders, including the development team, to ensure alignment and manage expectations.

3. Engage stakeholders in the review process

The final step in creating a PRD is to ensure that all relevant stakeholders have a chance to review and provide feedback on the document. This includes team members, leadership, and potentially even key clients or users. Their feedback can help refine and improve the document, ensuring it's as accurate, thorough, and useful as possible. Stakeholder approval also fosters alignment across the team and promotes a shared understanding of the product vision and goals.

A comprehensive PRD is pivotal to enhancing development, streamlining product launches, and fostering stakeholder involvement. It's a thoughtful, confident, enthusiastic, and positive step towards success!