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Project Requirements Documentation

PRD Development Process​

1. Requirements Gathering​

  • Stakeholder interviews
  • Technical discovery sessions
  • User journey mapping
  • System analysis
  • Integration requirements

2. Document Structure​

  • Executive Summary
  • Project Overview
  • Business Requirements
  • Technical Requirements
  • User Stories
  • Acceptance Criteria
  • Constraints and Assumptions

3. Technical Specifications​

  • Architecture overview
  • System integrations
  • Data flow diagrams
  • API specifications
  • Security requirements
  • Performance criteria

4. User Requirements​

  • User roles and permissions
  • Feature descriptions
  • UI/UX requirements
  • Workflow diagrams
  • Use cases
  • User acceptance criteria

Validation Process​

1. Internal Review​

  • Technical team review
  • Architecture validation
  • Feasibility assessment
  • Resource evaluation
  • Timeline verification

2. Client Review​

  • Requirement confirmation
  • Scope validation
  • Priority alignment
  • Timeline agreement
  • Budget confirmation

Change Management​

1. Change Request Process​

  • Impact assessment
  • Timeline evaluation
  • Cost analysis
  • Approval workflow
  • Documentation updates

2. Version Control​

  • Document versioning
  • Change tracking
  • Update communication
  • Stakeholder notification
  • History maintenance

Best Practices​

1. Writing Guidelines​

  • Clear and concise language
  • Specific requirements
  • Measurable criteria
  • Achievable goals
  • Time-bound objectives

2. Documentation Tips​

  • Use templates
  • Include diagrams
  • Provide examples
  • Reference sources
  • Regular updates

User Story Format​

Basic Format​

As a [type of user]
I want to [perform some action]
So that [achieve some goal]

Acceptance Criteria Format​

Given [some context]
When [some action is taken]
Then [expected outcome]

Documentation Components​

1. Epic Template​

# Epic: [Epic Name]

## Business Value
[Describe the high-level business value]

## User Stories
1. [User Story 1]
2. [User Story 2]
3. [User Story 3]

## Success Metrics
- [Metric 1]
- [Metric 2]
- [Metric 3]

## Dependencies
- [Dependency 1]
- [Dependency 2]

2. User Story Template​

# User Story: [Story Title]

## Description
As a [user type]
I want to [action]
So that [benefit]

## Acceptance Criteria
1. Given [context]
   When [action]
   Then [outcome]

2. Given [context]
   When [action]
   Then [outcome]

## Technical Notes
- [Technical consideration 1]
- [Technical consideration 2]

## Dependencies
- [Dependency 1]
- [Dependency 2]

## Effort Estimate
[Story points or hours]

3. Feature Specification​

# Feature: [Feature Name]

## Overview
[Brief description]

## User Stories
- [ ] [User Story 1]
- [ ] [User Story 2]
- [ ] [User Story 3]

## Technical Requirements
- [Requirement 1]
- [Requirement 2]

## Design Assets
- [Asset 1]
- [Asset 2]

## Test Cases
- [ ] [Test Case 1]
- [ ] [Test Case 2]

Example​

Epic: User Authentication System​

Business Value​

Provide secure and seamless authentication for users to access the platform.

User Stories​

  1. Account Creation
As a new user
I want to create an account
So that I can access the platform

Acceptance Criteria:
1. Given I am on the signup page
   When I enter valid email and password
   Then my account should be created

2. Given I am on the signup page
   When I enter an existing email
   Then I should see an error message

3. Given I am on the signup page
   When I enter an invalid password
   Then I should see password requirements
  1. Login Process
As a registered user
I want to log in to my account
So that I can access my dashboard

Acceptance Criteria:
1. Given I am on the login page
   When I enter valid credentials
   Then I should be redirected to dashboard

2. Given I am on the login page
   When I enter invalid credentials
   Then I should see an error message

Documentation Standards​

1. Writing Guidelines​

  • Use active voice
  • Be specific and measurable
  • Focus on user value
  • Include all edge cases
  • Define clear outcomes

2. Required Sections​

  • User story description
  • Acceptance criteria
  • Technical notes
  • Dependencies
  • Effort estimate
  • Test cases

3. Review Process​

  1. Product Owner review
  2. Technical review
  3. QA review
  4. Stakeholder approval

Best Practices​

Do's​

  • Write from user perspective
  • Include acceptance criteria
  • Add technical notes
  • Link related stories
  • Include test cases

Don'ts​

  • Use technical jargon in stories
  • Skip acceptance criteria
  • Leave dependencies unclear
  • Ignore edge cases
  • Write implementation details
  • User Story Template
  • Epic Template
  • Feature Specification Template
  • Test Case Template
  • Technical Documentation Guide