Minimalist PRD Template: Getting the Job Done
A PRD helps a team to think through what they want to work on next.
The more time a team spends writing, reviewing, challenging, refactoring it, the smoother the initiative will go.
Here is a template that has proven effective with my teams for several reasons:
- It is short
- It has clear instructions
- It's easy on the eyes (even if you use Word or an outdated Jira version)
A word of caution:
- Think of this template as a foundation. Customize it to match your team's specific needs and processes.
- The template's effectiveness will be determined by how often it's used and adapted by different teams.
# 🌍 [Initiative Title]
## 🎯 TLDR
[Brief summary of the initiative in 2-3 sentences]
## 🔋 Status
■□□□□ [Current status]
Status Legend:
■□□□□ Draft: Initial creation
■■□□□ Review: Stakeholder feedback
■■■□□ Approved: Ready for implementation
■■■■□ Development: In progress
■■■■■ Launched: Live and deployed
## 🗣️ People involved
[Add or remove roles as needed for your specific initiative]
- [Responsibilities] - [Name/Team]
- e.g. Initiative Owner - Product Manager X
## 🤕 Problem statement
[Describe the problem, its importance, and user impact. Consider:
- What specific issue are we addressing?
- Why is solving this problem important?
- How does this problem affect our users or business?]
## ⚠️ Constraints
[List any technical, business, or resource constraints that may impact the initiative. For example:]
- [Technical constraint]
- [Business constraint]
- [Resource constraint]
## 💡 Proposed Solution
[Outline the proposed solution. Include:
- High-level description of the solution
- Key features or components
- How it addresses the problem statement]
## 📈 Success Metrics
[Define specific, measurable criteria for success. Consider:
- Quantitative metrics (e.g., increase in user engagement by X%)
- Qualitative improvements (e.g., positive user feedback)
- Business outcomes (e.g., revenue increase, cost reduction)]
## 🗓️ High-Level Timeline
[Provide key milestones and rough dates. Adjust timeline scope based on initiative size]
- [Date] – [Milestone 1]
- [Date] – [Milestone 2]
- [Date] – [Initiative completion]
## 🤔 QAs (Questions and Assumptions)
[List any outstanding questions, assumptions, or areas needing clarification. Update this section as questions are answered throughout the initiative.]