PRD Prompt Framework

The Problem with AI-Written PRDs

Most AI-written PRDs fail for three reasons:

• They are too generic - no specific user context or company constraints
• They lack the “why” - just lists of features without problem validation
• They ignore trade-offs - no acknowledgment of what you are NOT building

Write a PRD for a new notification feature.

Write a PRD for our mobile app's notification system targeting power users who manage 10+ projects.

Context:
- We are a B2B project management tool with 50K MAU
- Users complain they miss critical updates (NPS verbatim attached)
- Engineering has 6 weeks for MVP

Include:
- Problem validation with user quotes
- Specific notification types and triggers
- Success metrics (we care about engagement, not vanity metrics)
- What we are explicitly NOT building in v1

The 5-Part PRD Framework

Every effective PRD prompt includes these five components. Skip one, and you will get a generic spec that misses the mark.

Part 1: Define Your Audience

Who is reading this PRD? Your prompt should specify:

• Primary audience (engineering, design, stakeholders)
• Technical depth required
• Decision-making context

This PRD is for our engineering team (senior, familiar with our stack).
They need enough detail to estimate accurately but freedom to choose implementation.
Stakeholders will review for scope alignment.

Part 2: Articulate the Problem

The problem section is where most AI prompts fail. Be specific about:

• Who has this problem (user segment)
• What evidence you have (data, quotes, research)
• Why solving it matters now

Part 3: Describe the Solution

Be specific about what you want, but leave room for engineering creativity. Include:

• Core features (must-haves)
• User flows you envision
• Integration requirements

Part 4: Success Metrics

How will you know this worked? Specify both:

• Leading indicators (early signals)
• Lagging outcomes (business impact)

Success metrics:
- Leading: 40% of power users enable notifications in week 1
- Lagging: 15% reduction in "missed deadline" support tickets within 90 days
- Guardrail: Notification opt-out rate below 5%

Part 5: Constraints & Trade-offs

Be honest about limitations. This builds trust with engineering:

• Timeline constraints
• Technical debt you are accepting
• Features you are explicitly NOT building

Complete Example

Here is a complete PRD prompt using all five framework components:

Write a PRD for our mobile app notification system.

AUDIENCE:
- Engineering team (senior, familiar with React Native and our push infrastructure)
- Reviewed by product leadership for scope alignment

PROBLEM:
- Power users (managing 10+ projects) miss 40% of critical updates
- NPS verbatim: "I live in the app but still miss deadlines because I didn't see the update"
- Support tickets for "missed deadline" issues up 25% QoQ

SOLUTION:
- Smart notification system that prioritizes based on:
  - User role on project
  - Update urgency (deadline proximity)
  - Historical engagement patterns
- User controls for notification preferences by project
- Daily digest option as alternative to real-time

SUCCESS METRICS:
- Leading: 40% of power users enable notifications in week 1
- Lagging: 15% reduction in "missed deadline" tickets within 90 days
- Guardrail: Opt-out rate below 5%

CONSTRAINTS:
- 6-week timeline (MVP only)
- Must work with existing push infrastructure (no new vendors)

EXPLICITLY NOT BUILDING:
- Desktop notifications (phase 2)
- AI-powered "smart" summaries (phase 2)
- Notification snooze/scheduling (phase 2)

Next Steps

Now that you understand the framework, try it yourself. AskSmarter.ai can guide you through each step with clarifying questions to make your PRD prompt even better.