Development
Product requirements document (PRD) template
A PRD explains what to build and how you will know it works. This template moves from problem and audience to a measurable outcome, user stories, a requirements table with priority and acceptance criteria, out of scope items, edge cases, launch and measurement, and open questions.
Open this template in the editor- Category
- Development
- Default style
- Technical
When to use it
Draft a PRD before design and engineering start on a feature, and keep it updated while the status line still says draft. Engineers, designers, testers and support staff all read it, each looking for different details. Writing requirements in Markdown suits teams that keep documents next to the code and export a PDF only for reviews.
What is inside
- A header with project, author and updated date fill-in fields, plus a status line that starts as draft.
- A requirements table with must and should priorities and acceptance criteria for every row.
- Sections for out of scope work, edge cases, launch and measurement, and open questions with owners.
Tips for a better document
- Write acceptance criteria that a tester can check without asking you. “User completes it without assistance” can be observed. “Easy to use” cannot.
- The Technical style is the default here and handles wide tables well. Turn on the contents page with page numbers when the document grows past a few pages.
Template preview
Product requirements: Project or topic
Author: Your name · Updated: Date
Status: Draft
Problem and audience
Who has this problem? Describe the current workaround and why it falls short.
Desired outcome
Define one measurable outcome and a baseline.
User stories
- As a user, I want to complete the core task so that I can achieve my goal.
- As a returning user, I want my preferences remembered.
Requirements
| Priority | Requirement | Acceptance criteria |
|---|---|---|
| Must | Core workflow | User completes it without assistance |
| Must | Error recovery | Input survives a failed request |
| Should | Preferences | Settings persist between visits |
Out of scope
List adjacent work intentionally deferred.
Edge cases
Empty input, long content, small screens, keyboard use, and lost connectivity.
Launch and measurement
Define the rollout, success signal, and review date.
Open questions
Record unresolved decisions with an owner.
Fill-in fields such as your name and the date are replaced when you open the template in the editor.