A PRD (product requirements document) includes details about the functionality and requirements of a product to be built. While understanding PRD meaning, you should know that the product manager creates it before the product development.
In the agile world, lengthy PRDs are no longer viable. Therefore, delve deeper to understand how to write product requirements documents in the present time.
Begin with Defining the Product’s Purpose
The first thing to include in a PRD is the purpose of the product to outline the following:
- Pain points addressed by the product
- End users
- Value of the product
All stakeholders must be aware of the purpose during the development process.
Segment the Purpose into Features
After identifying the purpose of the product requirements document, it is essential to understand the feature requirements. The features should align with the primary purpose of the product. Understanding the themes and initiatives might help you choose the right product features.
Establish Goals for the Release
Establishing appropriate goals for the release will help fulfill the purpose of the product. The goals for the release criteria must be measurable, achievable, actionable, and easy to comprehend. Meanwhile, the release criteria must cover five areas: usability, functionality, performance, reliability, and supportability.
Set a Proper Timeline
The timeline is an essential element in a product requirements document. A release date must be set for all products, even if it’s a tentative date. You must adjust and accommodate your priorities according to the timeline and release date.
However, it can limit the scope to some extent by restricting the number of features stakeholders can incorporate without significantly altering the timeline. Optimizing the release process and following the target release date can be challenging.
Therefore, you should create an estimated timeline and set an estimated release date by considering real scenarios. The product requirements document should mention the estimated timeline and release date.
Collect Reviews from Stakeholders
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After creating a product requirements document, you must collect feedback from all stakeholders. Since multiple stakeholders need to review the document, storing it on the cloud is best.
It will ensure that the PRD is available in a centralized system for every stakeholder to view whenever they want. Multiple users will be able to view the product requirements document at the same time and make changes in a single version.
Additionally, all changes will be visible to everyone. The PRD must reach everyone in the development team, including developers, managers, and testers.
Final Thoughts
After understanding the meaning of PRD, you should know that it aims to bring all stakeholders on the same page. Product development requires collaboration between multiple teams, including development, marketing, design, sales, and more. The PRD will ensure every stakeholder is in sync regarding the product development process.
FAQs
Should a PRD be long?
A modern PRD is short and crisp instead of being lengthy. But it offers detailed insights into the overall product development process.
Who writes the PRD?
The PRD is usually composed by the product manager. However, other stakeholders also provide insights while writing the product requirements document.
Is the PRD necessary in agile development?
Documentation does not align much with the concept of agile development. But, agile development teams can also benefit from using PRDs.
