PRD & RFC Writing

Write lightweight requirements and design documents that align stakeholders without drowning in waterfall-style documentation. In agile, these documents are living artifacts — concise enough to write quickly, clear enough to prevent misalignment.

Two Document Types

Agile PRD (Product Requirements Document)

Audience: Product, design, engineering, stakeholders Purpose: Define WHAT to build and WHY, from the user's perspective When: Before starting a significant feature or epic (more than a sprint of work)

Technical RFC (Request for Comments)

Audience: Engineering team, tech leads, architects Purpose: Propose HOW to build something technically, gather feedback before committing When: Before implementing non-trivial technical work (new service, data migration, architecture change)

Many features need both: a PRD from the product side and an RFC from the engineering side. Some only need one.

Workflow: Agile PRD

Step 1: Start with the Problem

Every PRD begins with a crystal-clear problem statement:

• What user pain or business need does this address?
• Who specifically has this problem? (Define the persona)
• How big is this problem? (Frequency, severity, number of users affected)
• What do users do today to work around it?

If you can't articulate the problem, you're not ready to write requirements.

Step 2: Define Goals and Non-Goals

Goals: What this project will achieve (tied to metrics when possible) Non-goals: What this project explicitly will NOT do (prevents scope creep)

Non-goals are just as important as goals. They're the guardrails that keep the project focused.

Step 3: Write User Stories

Express requirements as user stories:

As a [user persona],
I want to [action/capability],
so that [benefit/outcome].

Group stories by priority using MoSCoW:

• Must have: Project fails without these
• Should have: Important but not launch-blocking
• Could have: Nice to have if time allows
• Won't have (this time): Explicitly deferred

Step 4: Define Acceptance Criteria and Constraints

For each must-have story, define acceptance criteria (use feature-planning's Given/When/Then format).

Document constraints: performance requirements, accessibility requirements, platform support, backwards compatibility, regulatory compliance.

Step 5: Include Design Context

If mockups, wireframes, or user flows exist, link them. If not, describe the intended user experience in enough detail that a designer can start.

Step 6: Produce the PRD

Use the template at templates/prd.md. Keep it under 3 pages. Link to detailed resources rather than embedding everything.

Workflow: Technical RFC

Step 1: State the Problem and Context

Same discipline as the PRD — start with why, not what. Include:

• What triggered this RFC (feature requirement, scaling issue, tech debt)
• Current state of the system
• Constraints (timeline, backward compatibility, team expertise)

Step 2: Propose the Solution

Describe the technical approach clearly. Include:

• High-level architecture or design
• Key components and their interactions
• Data model changes (link to data-modeling if needed)
• API changes (link to api-design if needed)

Step 3: Present Alternatives

List 2-3 alternatives considered with tradeoffs. This proves you've thought beyond the first idea.

Step 4: Identify Open Questions

List questions that need answering during or after the review process. This invites targeted feedback.

Step 5: Produce the RFC

Use the template at templates/rfc.md. Circulate for review with a clear deadline.

Principles Applied

• Agile over waterfall: These documents are living drafts, not contracts. Update as understanding evolves.
• KISS: If it takes more than an afternoon to write, the scope is too large — split it.
• Working software over comprehensive documentation: Write just enough to align. The code is the real spec.