Product requirements

A specification exists to prevent expensive rediscovery — of decisions already made, of scope already agreed, and of the edge cases that are found either now on a page or later in production.

Lead with the problem and the number, not the solution

Open with who has the problem, what it costs them today, and what you expect to change if this ships — expressed as a measure with a target and a date. A document that starts with a solution invites the team to optimize the wrong thing and gives you no way to tell afterward whether it worked.

Decide the success measure before building, not at launch. A number chosen afterward is chosen to be met.

State scope by exclusion