pm-prd
Product Requirements Document - synthesizes all Phase 2-3b outputs into a single product-level document
/pm-prd▊When to use
Phase 3b close. The PRD is the final synthesis step before Phase 4 begins. It does not contain new research - it assembles all Phase 2, 3a, and 3b outputs into one coherent product-level document.
Also used in Feature Implementation playbook to produce an Initiative PRD scoped to one domain or initiative.
What it produces
Two distinct modes, detected automatically:
| Mode | Context | Output | Frozen? |
|---|---|---|---|
| Product PRD | Greenfield Phase 3b | product/PRD_master.md | Yes - frozen after creation |
| Initiative PRD | Feature Implementation after Track B | initiatives/[slug]/prd.md | No - living for that initiative |
Product PRD
Synthesizes all upstream artifacts into product/PRD_master.md. This file does not change for new scope. New domain/feature scope after Phase 4 → a new Initiative PRD, never an edit to PRD_master. PRD_master is the stable historical record.
Re-run with new evidence (delta mode): if PRD_master already exists and new upstream evidence arrives for the same scope (updated personas, market analysis, re-prioritization) before it's fully consumed downstream, the skill does not rewrite from scratch - it reads the current PRD, re-validates the evidence-sensitive sections (Problem Statement, Target Customer, Value Proposition, Market Context, Business Model) against the new sources, changes only what the new evidence supports (marking each [UPDATED - previous/new/reason], leaving the rest [UNCHANGED]), and shows the delta before writing. It then names downstream artifacts that may now be inconsistent (pm-product-roadmap, pm-features-list, pm-business-model) and recommends /pm-audit strategy.
PRD sections:
- Product vision and problem statement
- Customer segments, personas, early adopters
- JTBD core: jobs, forces, switching logic
- Market context: TAM/SAM/SOM, competitive landscape, timing
- Validation evidence: hypothesis register, Go/No-Go verdict
- Business model overview (Lean Canvas or BMC summary)
- KPIs: North Star, AARRR metrics, OKRs
- Business case summary
- Business Capabilities - what the product must enable, in business language (required for Phase 4)
- Roadmap reference (v1)
- Legal and compliance requirements
- Critical Assumptions (things the PRD is betting on, to validate - not decisions)
Modular PRD for large products: If the product covers multiple distinct business domains:
product/PRD_master.md- high-level router: goals, personas, KPIs, links to domain sub-PRDs (this IS the frozen master)product/PRD_[Domain].md- Business Capabilities per domain (e.g., PRD_Billing.md, PRD_Auth.md)
Feature Cards reference specific PRD sections via the prd_ref field - Claude reads only the referenced section during JIT design, not the full PRD.
Initiative PRD
Scoped to one domain or business initiative. Entry point for:
pm-entity-registry(append mode)pm-business-rules-library(append mode)pm-features-list(FI append mode)
How to invoke
/pm-prd # interactive - Step 0 detects Product vs. Initiative mode
/pm-prd --agent # autonomous synthesis from available phase artifacts
Critical rule: Business Capabilities section
The PRD must include a Business Capabilities section - a list of what the product must enable, written in business language. This is the direct input for Phase 4 (pm-entity-registry extracts entities from it) and Phase 5 (pm-features-list decomposes capabilities into FDD features). Without Business Capabilities, the AI decomposition into entities and features is guesswork.
The PRD is not a spec
- No User Stories (those belong to Scrum/XP, incompatible with FDD)
- No technical implementation detail
- No wireframes or UI descriptions
- No feature-level acceptance criteria
The PRD answers: who is this for, what problem does it solve, why does it matter, what does success look like, what are the commercial assumptions.
Dependencies
Required before running (Product PRD):
- All four Phase 2 tracks:
pm-tech-feasibility,pm-domain-analysis,pm-market-analysis,pm-personas+jtbd-building pm-problem-validationpm-hypotheses(Results mode, Go/No-Go = GO)design-thinkingpm-lean-canvasorpm-business-modelpm-kpispm-business-casepm-product-roadmap(v1)
Produces for:
pm-entity-registry- Business Capabilities section is the decomposition inputpm-features-list- Business Capabilities drive feature decompositionpm-domain-model- Phase 4 domain modeling references PRD business context- All Phase 6 Feature Cards -
prd_reffield links to specific PRD sections
Related skills: pm-product-roadmap, pm-lean-canvas, pm-kpis, pm-business-case, pm-entity-registry, pm-open-questions
Open questions
This PRD no longer has an "Open Questions" section - open questions, divergences, and blockers live in exactly one place project-wide: domain/open_questions.md (Live Register 5, pm-open-questions). If synthesis surfaces an unresolved item, it's logged there directly and only a bare placeholder (e.g. "Exit gate: TBD") stays in the PRD.