2. Specifications in Product Management
In this section, we will dive into specifications (specs) and how to create effective ones. Specs serve as a detailed guide for what a product or feature should achieve, ensuring that development teams have a clear understanding of what they need to build and why. Let’s explore the key types of specs and how to write them to ensure your team delivers value to the user.
What Are Specs?
Specs are narratives or documents that describe the requirements of a product feature or functionality. They communicate the context, the problem being solved, and the expected value to the user. The most commonly used specification formats in product management include:
- Product Requirement Document (PRD)
- Job Stories
- User Stories
- Wireframes and Prototypes
Each of these formats can be used depending on whether you need to focus more on the problem you’re solving or the solution you want to build. Let’s explore each of these tools in more detail.
Product Requirement Document (PRD)
The PRD is one of the most commonly used formats in product management. It outlines the product’s objectives, the problem being addressed, the risks involved, and the expected outcomes. It typically includes:
- Objective: What is the goal of this feature or product?
- Elevator Pitch: A concise summary of the product's value proposition.
- Scope of Changes: What will be changed or added in the product.
- Risks: Any risks associated with the implementation.
- Expected Outcomes: Metrics or KPIs that will measure success.
The Elevator Pitch is a useful tool in PRDs, inspired by Geoffrey Moore's Crossing the Chasm. It succinctly explains who the target customer is, what the product does, and how it differs from alternatives.
Example:
"For [target customers] who [need to solve X], our [product] provides [Y solution]. Unlike [competitors], our product offers [key differentiator]."
This format helps the team stay focused on the value the product will deliver and ensures that nothing important is missed during development.
User Stories
User Stories are short narratives that describe a specific function or feature from the user’s perspective. They are often written in the format:
- As a [user], I want to [perform an action] so that [desired outcome].
This format focuses on the user's needs and expected outcome, allowing the team to understand the value from the user's point of view. When written well, user stories help prevent scope creep by keeping the focus on what the user needs, not on additional, unnecessary features.
Tips for Writing Good User Stories:
- Independent: Each story should be self-contained and not depend on other stories to be completed.
- Negotiable: The story should allow room for discussion and flexibility in how it’s achieved.
- Valuable: It should deliver clear value to the user.
- Estimable: It should be possible to estimate the complexity and effort required to complete the story.
- Small: It should be small enough to be completed within a short timeframe.
- Testable: There should be clear criteria to test whether the story is complete and working as expected.
Job Stories
Job Stories focus on the context and motivation behind the user’s needs, rather than just the user’s actions. They are derived from the Jobs to Be Done (JTBD) framework, which emphasizes the progress users are trying to make in a given situation.
Job Story Format:
- When [situation arises], I want to [perform an action] so that I can [achieve a specific outcome].
Job stories emphasize the user’s motivation and the problem they are trying to solve, helping to prevent premature solutions from being defined too early in the process.
Example of a Job Story:
- When I am working remotely and need to collaborate with my team, I want to have access to real-time updates so that I can make informed decisions quickly.
Job stories provide context and focus on the user's motivations, ensuring that the development process stays aligned with what users are trying to accomplish, rather than dictating a specific solution.
Wireframes and Prototypes
Wireframes and prototypes are visual representations of the product or feature. They help provide clarity on the design and functionality of the solution before development begins. Wireframes are typically low-fidelity sketches of the product’s layout, while prototypes can be high-fidelity and interactive, allowing users and stakeholders to experience the product before it’s built.
Wireframes and prototypes are useful for:
- Validating ideas: Getting early feedback from users and stakeholders.
- Aligning the team: Ensuring that everyone has a shared understanding of what is being built.
- Reducing development costs: By identifying issues early through user testing, prototypes help avoid costly mistakes later in development.
Definition of Done
A key part of any specification is the Definition of Done (DoD). This is a checklist that ensures a feature or product is fully completed before it is marked as done. It typically includes:
- Business requirements: E.g., all user-facing text is translated into the correct languages.
- Quality requirements: E.g., 90% code coverage with automated tests.
- Non-functional requirements: E.g., documentation is complete, support articles are updated.
The DoD helps avoid confusion over what constitutes a completed feature and ensures that nothing is overlooked before a product or feature is released.
Conclusion
Specs are an essential part of the product development process, ensuring that the product team knows what to build, why it’s important, and how it will be delivered. Whether using PRDs, user stories, job stories, or wireframes, the focus should always be on delivering value to the user and aligning the team around a common vision. By using the right specification format and following best practices like the Definition of Done, product managers can ensure smoother product development and successful releases.