AI can't write proper PRDs ... or can it?

That was me before I started getting better at detailed prompts that totally remove the cold start problem when writing PRDs.

Here's my setup (steal this):

What I learned the hard way: ❌ Generic prompts = generic PRDs ❌ No examples = inconsistent output ❌ Skipping clarification = missing requirements

My approach:

1. Set up your assistant

• Use Claude Projects (or custom GPTs): Create "PRD Generator"
• Add your preferred PRD template: [my PRD template]

2. System instructions

• Detailed instructions you want the AI assistant to follow each time you ask it to turn rough notes into a detailed PRD

<role>Turn rough product ideas into detailed PRDs</role>
<context>PM at [company type], team of [size], building [product category]</context>
<instructions>
1. Review my PRD format first
2. Ask me for rough notes
3. Ask 10 clarifying questions
4. Generate PRD with: Problem, OKRs, Solution, Assumptions, Risks, User flows, Timeline
</instructions>
<criteria>2 pages max, actionable user stories, clear metrics</criteria>        

3. Add your best PRD as an example - Paste a real PRD and label it "write in this style"

Real result: Tested with a "healthy recipe assistant" idea. Got a PRD (see here) with measurable objectives, milestone-based requirements, and risk assessment. Took less than 30 minutes vs. my usual 4+ hours.

Pro tip: Break your solution into milestones. Makes it easier to prototype later in tools like V0 or Lovable. Include "ask clarifying questions" in your instructions to make sure that the AI is clear about what needs to be in the PRD (thanks Dave Killeen for this great tip).

Start here: Take your last PRD, upload it to Claude/ChatGPT, and say "help me create system instructions to write PRDs in this exact format."

Who else is using AI to write their PRDs? What has been working well, what hasn't?

For further learning:

1. Is Role Prompting Effective? by Sander Schulhoff
2. The PRD That Actually Works by Aakash Gupta
3. Please don’t damage your career and credibility with poor PRDs by Alena Panshina
4. I Wrote a PRD with AI and It Worked Surprisingly Well by Peter Yang
5. How I use ChatGPT to write PRDs as a Product Manager? by sushanth kumar

#ProductManagement #AITools #PRD #AI #Productivity