How to create a product requirements document (PRD)
Use ChatGPT to generate a product requirements document (PRD) to share with your team.
2024-11-13
A Product Requirements Document (PRD) is the foundation of any successful product development process. It outlines all the essential details your team needs to understand about the product they're building, including the target audience, key features, and potential design elements.
Steps in this tutorial:
- Use ChatGPT to develop a clear and effective PRD
- Turn your first PRD into a reliable template you can use again
- Ensure team alignment and clarity on product requirements
Step 1: Understand the components of a PRD
Start by using ChatGPT to get a clear understanding of what a PRD is and its importance.
Prompt:
Explain what a product requirements document is and the importance of each component.
Step 2: Create your PRD
Now use ChatGPT to help extract the necessary information for your PRD through a series of targeted questions.
Prompt:
Ask me 5 questions about my product idea that will help you create the first draft of the PRD.
Respond with answers to each question - either by typing out the answers or dictating. It’s also a good idea to give ChatGPT some style guidance as it can rely heavily on bullet points.
Prompt:
From the answers I provide below, create a PRD. Where possible, write in full length sentences. Avoid subsections with 1 bullet point; write a full sentence instead.
1. [answer]
2. [answer]
3. [answer]
4. [answer]
5. [answer]
ChatGPT will make some editorial decisions behind the scenes which you won’t be aware of unless you explicitly ask.
What are some other elements of a PRD that you haven't included in this one? Provide a list and 1-sentence explanation. I will decide whether to include more or less information in the PRD.
Based on ChatGPT's suggestions, you can choose to add or remove sections as needed for your specific product and team requirements. For this example, we’ll ask ChatGPT to include sections on Dependencies and Assumptions.
Step 3: Turn your PRD into a template for future use
PRDs are most effective when they’re consistently formatted and easy for your stakeholders to read and understand. Take initiative and develop a template that you can circulate to the rest of the team for future use.
Based on the PRD we’ve developed, create a PRD template. Each section should include very brief instructions on what should be included in that section.
You’ll want to review and edit the template before sharing to ensure it aligns with your team's specific needs and product types.
This tutorial was created by Jonah.