Why use a PRD template

PRDs, or Product Required Documents, contain all your product launch's requirements to guide your development team. Their intended goal is to outline what your product or feature is, who the audience is, and how your team plans to deliver it.

A PRD will thoughtfully outline everything you need to complete for a successful release. Like other documents written by PMs, they are an essential guide for your team.

PRDs can be incredibly hard to write because it is complicated to define the lens through which you intend to frame your project. They should remain relatively short to maintain readability while being developed enough to guide your team. A PRD needs to be executed appropriately to avoid becoming unruly and misguided. Save you and your team's time closer to launch by following a clear structure and using Collato's free template.

Figma's approach

Some might consider PRDs outdated because other documents, like prototypes and user stories, have gained traction in recent years. But Figma's method of creating a PRD has proven well-structured and exemplary because it addresses assumptions, problems and solutions, launch checklists, and more. There are three main components to Figma's approach to PRD writing: problem alignment, solution alignment, and launch readiness.

Problem alignment

In this section, PMs should elaborate on the problem they intend to solve and briefly explain their motivations and goals. It is best to go beyond just a proposal; you should also justify the importance of your initiative. A "high-level approach" section is important because it frames your project and allows the reader to understand the scope of the problem. This section also consists of a definition of your goals—even ones like intended customer reception and user satisfaction.

Solution alignment

Figma uses two key factors to measure solution alignment: key flows and features. Key flows show a mock-up of user experience and allow people to walk away with a reasonable understanding of your feature or product. Key features outline open issues and significant decisions. This section can also help explain controversial moves or legitimize a particular process.

Launch readiness

This section is like a checklist that your team reviews before the final launch of your product or feature. This section should also involve the relevant stakeholders to avoid unnecessary hiccups closer to the launch. Elaborating on launch criteria allows everyone to plan and prepare their teams.

Best practices

Be concise – Articulate your problem, but don't get bogged down by being overly complicated and elaborate. Make sure it is readable so that your team, well, reads it.

Use our template – PRDs have a bad reputation because it is hard to stay collaborative and keep everything current. Collato's unique features, like Figma and Jira integrations, annotated feedback, and card-in-card embedding, have made PRD writing easy and painless.

Consider assumptions and constraints – Outline the prior expectations and assumptions. That will allow you to frame your case correctly. Considering assumptions can help you set your scope.

Make sure your product addresses a problem – Before spending too much time perfecting your PRD, reconsider if you are addressing the root cause of a problem, not just a symptom of another. Ensure that you are confident in your idea so that you are not wasting unnecessary time later.

Write your PRD with Collato

Keep everything up to date with Collato's free and collaborative Figma PRD template. Make PRD writing trouble-free by taking advantage of powerful features like card-in-card embedding, incorporations of messages and comments, and Jira and Figma integrations. PRD writing has never been easier.