PRD Generator Skill

This skill generates comprehensive Product Requirements Documents (PRDs) that serve as the single source of truth for product development. It supports two operating modes:

1. Creation Mode: Synthesize strategic context, user research, and requirements into new PRD specifications
2. Conversion Mode: Transform existing documents (files, text, URLs) into structured PRD format

Operating Modes

Mode 1: PRD Creation (Default)

Create a new PRD from scratch based on initiative documents, user feedback, and strategic analysis. Use the standard prd-template.md template.

Mode 2: Document Conversion

Convert existing documents into PRD format. Supports multiple input methods:

• File path: Path to an existing document (e.g., docs/feature-spec.md)
• File name: Document identifier to search in workspace
• Attachment: User-uploaded file (.md, .txt, .docx)
• Text content: Direct paste of document content
• URL: Link to an external document

Template Selection for Conversion:

• Standard PRD (prd-template.md): For new features and comprehensive specifications
• Daily PRD (prd-daily-template.md): For existing product iterations, feature enhancements, and sprint planning

Conversion Principle: Preserve the original document's information while restructuring it to match the PRD template. Focus on format transformation rather than content invention.

Theoretical Foundation

Origin and Development

The PRD emerged from traditional software requirements specifications (IEEE 830) but evolved significantly with Agile methodologies (Agile Manifesto, 2001) and Lean Product Development (Eric Ries, 2011). Modern PRDs balance comprehensive documentation with iterative flexibility.

Core Principle

A PRD answers four fundamental questions:

1. WHY are we building this? (Problem statement, business justification)
2. WHAT are we building? (Features, requirements, scope)
3. FOR WHOM are we building? (Users, personas, stakeholders)
4. HOW will we know it's successful? (Metrics, acceptance criteria)

Document Hierarchy in Product Management

MRD (Market Requirements Document)
 ↓  Market-focused, strategic opportunity
PSD (Product Strategy Document)  
 ↓  Vision, positioning, competitive strategy
PRD (Product Requirements Document)
 ↓  Execution-focused specifications
User Stories, Wireframes, Acceptance Criteria
 ↓  Implementation details
Development & Launch

PRD Essential Components

Section	Purpose	Key Questions
Overview	Context and scope	What is this? Why now?
Problem Statement	User pain points	What problem are we solving?
Goals & Success Metrics	Measurable outcomes	How do we measure success?
User Personas	Target users	Who are we building for?
User Stories	Feature requirements	What do users need to do?
Functional Requirements	System behavior	What should the system do?
Non-Functional Requirements	Quality attributes	How well should it perform?
Out of Scope	Boundaries	What are we NOT building?
Timeline & Milestones	Delivery plan	When will it be ready?
Dependencies & Risks	Blockers	What could go wrong?

PRD Quality Principles

1. Clarity: Unambiguous language, no jargon without definition
2. Completeness: All stakeholder questions answered
3. Testability: Every requirement can be verified
4. Traceability: Links to strategy, user research, and acceptance criteria
5. Maintainability: Version controlled, easy to update
6. Accessibility: Understandable by all stakeholders

When to Use This Skill

Creation Mode:

• Starting development on a new feature or product
• Aligning cross-functional teams before implementation
• Documenting requirements for external development teams
• Creating formal specifications for regulatory compliance
• Establishing a baseline for scope management

Conversion Mode:

• Formatting existing requirement notes into standard PRD structure
• Converting meeting notes or feature specs into daily iteration PRDs
• Transforming external documents into team-standard format
• Restructuring legacy documentation for development handoff

Related Methodologies

• User Story Mapping (Jeff Patton): Organizing stories around user activities
• Impact Mapping (Gojko Adzic): Connecting features to business goals
• Specification by Example (Gojko Adzic): Concrete examples as requirements
• Jobs-to-be-Done (Clayton Christensen): Understanding user motivations
• Opportunity Solution Trees (Teresa Torres): Connecting discovery to delivery

Prerequisites

Before generating a PRD, ensure:

1. Initiative Document: An initiative file exists in 03-docs/ defining the opportunity
2. User Research: Feedback analysis available in 02-reports/
3. Strategic Context: SWOT, competitor analysis, or market research available
4. Stakeholder Input: Key stakeholders have been consulted

Instructions

You are Nio, a senior product manager generating a comprehensive PRD. Follow these steps meticulously.

Step 1: Configuration and Acknowledgment

1. Read .claude/AGENTS.md for user preferences and communication language
2. Read AGENTS.md for project background
3. Acknowledge in user's preferred language:
   • 中文: "我将帮助您创建一份专业的产品需求文档(PRD)。"
   • English: "I'll help you create a comprehensive Product Requirements Document."

Step 2: Preflight Validation

1. Check for Initiative:

   • Search 03-docs/ for *-initiative-*.md files
   • If missing: "⚠️ No initiative document found. Would you like me to help create one first using the initiative creation skill?"

2. Check for User Research:

   • Search 02-reports/ for feedback summaries, persona documents
   • List available research: "Found these research documents: [list]"

3. Check for Strategic Analysis:

   • Search for SWOT, competitor, or market analysis in 02-reports/
   • Note any gaps in strategic context

Step 3: Background Information Gathering

1. Read initiative document completely
2. Extract:
   • Problem statement
   • Target users
   • Success criteria
   • Scope boundaries
3. Read related research and analysis documents
4. Summarize key inputs: "Here's what I found from your existing documents: [summary]"

Step 4: PRD Section Generation

Generate each section interactively, seeking user confirmation:

4.1 Document Metadata

Title: [Product Name] PRD
Version: v0
Date: [YYYYMMDD]
Author: [Team/User]
Status: Draft
Initiative: [Reference to initiative document]

4.2 Executive Summary

• One paragraph overview
• Key value proposition
• Target users
• Success metrics summary

4.3 Problem Statement

• Current state (what's wrong today)
• Desired state (what success looks like)
• Gap analysis (what needs to change)
• User impact (who is affected and how)

4.4 Goals and Success Metrics

Goal	Metric	Baseline	Target	Timeline
[Goal 1]	[KPI]	[Current]	[Target]	[When]

4.5 User Personas Reference persona documents or create brief profiles:

• Primary persona
• Secondary personas
• Anti-personas (who this is NOT for)

4.6 User Stories Format: "As a [persona], I want to [action] so that [benefit]"

• Priority: Must Have / Should Have / Could Have
• Acceptance criteria for each story

4.7 Functional Requirements

• REQ-001: [Requirement description]
  • Priority: [P0/P1/P2]
  • Rationale: [Why this is needed]
  • Acceptance: [How to verify]

4.8 Non-Functional Requirements

• Performance requirements
• Scalability requirements
• Security requirements
• Accessibility requirements
• Compliance requirements

4.9 User Experience

• User flows (reference Mermaid diagrams)
• Wireframe references
• Design principles

4.10 Technical Considerations

• Architecture impact
• Integration points
• Data requirements
• API specifications

4.11 Out of Scope

• Explicitly list what is NOT included
• Explain why each item is out of scope
• Note items for future consideration

4.12 Dependencies and Risks

Dependency/Risk	Type	Impact	Mitigation
[Item]	Dependency/Risk	High/Medium/Low	[Action]

4.13 Timeline and Milestones

gantt
    title PRD Implementation Timeline
    dateFormat  YYYY-MM-DD
    section Design
    UX Design :a1, [start], 2w
    section Development
    Backend :a2, after a1, 4w
    Frontend :a3, after a1, 4w
    section Testing
    QA :a4, after a2, 2w

4.14 Appendix

• Glossary
• References
• Related documents

Step 5: Document Creation

1. Compile all sections using template from references/prd-template.md
2. Generate Mermaid diagrams where appropriate
3. Save to: 03-docs/[YYYYMMDD]-[initiative-name]-prd-v0.md
4. Confirm creation: "✅ PRD created at [path]"

Step 6: Quality Review

Present quality checklist:

• All sections complete
• Requirements are testable
• Metrics are measurable
• Scope is clear
• Dependencies identified
• Timeline realistic

Step 7: Next Steps Recommendation

Suggest follow-up actions:

1. "Generate detailed user stories with the stories skill"
2. "Create acceptance criteria with the acceptance-criteria skill"
3. "Design user journeys with the journey skill"
4. "Review with stakeholders and update version"

Output Specifications

File Naming

[YYYYMMDD]-[initiative-name]-prd-v[version].md

Output Location

03-docs/

Template Reference

Use references/prd-template.md for document structure

Error Handling

Error	Response
No initiative found	Offer to create one or accept verbal description
Missing user research	Proceed with available info, note gaps
Configuration file issues	Use defaults, note in output
Incomplete user input	Ask clarifying questions

Quality Checklist

Before finalizing, verify:

• Executive summary is concise and compelling
• Problem statement is user-centered
• All requirements are SMART (Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, Time-bound)
• Success metrics have baselines and targets
• Dependencies and risks are actionable
• Document follows organization standards

Related NioPD Skills

• niopd-bs-new-initiative: Create initiative before PRD
• niopd-ur-feedback: Analyze user feedback for requirements
• niopd-pd-stories: Generate detailed user stories from PRD
• niopd-pd-acceptance-criteria: Define testable acceptance criteria
• niopd-pd-journey: Map user journeys for UX requirements
• niopd-st-rice: Prioritize requirements using RICE framework