prd-writing

Write PRDs that are evidence-first, concise, and scannable. A PRD is a thinking tool — if it's longer than 1200 words, the author hasn't thought hard enough. Brief specs are more likely to be read, more likely to be followed, and more likely to ship on time.

Structure

Follow this structure. Every section is mandatory unless marked optional.

1. Problem

Lead with customer evidence. Quotes, data, support tickets, observed behavior. If you have no evidence, say so explicitly — that's an opinion-driven PRD and should be flagged.

Example:

"3 of 5 interviewed customers abandon onboarding at the team invite step. Average time spent: 47 seconds before closing the tab."

NOT: "Users find onboarding confusing."

2. Goals

Measurable outcomes, not outputs. Each goal has a number attached.

• "Reduce onboarding drop-off from 60% to under 30%"
• NOT "Improve the onboarding experience"