A PRD answers a set of questions that take your idea from a single line and open it up to the world where it will actually live. Who will use it. What it solves. What it includes. What it does not. Once you have those answers, you have more than an idea. You have a project.
the seven fields
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What it doesOne sentence. Take your time with this one. When this is clear, everything else follows naturally.
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Who it is forThe more specific, the better. Think of a real person, not a category. "A freelancer who wants to get their first client" is much more useful than "anyone interested in working with me."
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The problem it solvesWhat is the situation before this exists? What changes for the person once they have it?
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What it includes in the first versionOnly what goes in the first version. Keeping this short helps you finish the first version without getting lost along the way.
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What it does not includeList everything you are leaving out of this version. A blog, extra pages, features that sound nice but are not essential. Knowing this upfront keeps the first version focused and buildable.
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The tech stackWhat tools will you use? For now an AI coding assistant, GitHub, and GitHub Pages. If you are not sure, leave it blank and ask your AI assistant. It will help you decide.
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Edge casesThink about what could go wrong when someone uses your website. What happens if they fill in the contact form and forget to add their email? What if the page takes too long to load? Those situations are your edge cases. Write them down here.
what it costs
Pick any of these, all free to start
Claudeclaude.ai
Strong at structured thinking and pushing back when your scope is too broad.
Free tier is enough
ChatGPTchatgpt.com
Works well for structured documents and iterating on text.
Free tier is enough
Geminigemini.google.com
Good option if you already live inside the Google ecosystem.
Free tier is enough
how to fill it in
1
Paste the paragraph you wrote in SOP 00
Open your AI assistant and paste your website description. That gives the AI everything it needs to help you fill in the PRD.
2
Paste the template and ask for help filling it in
Copy the template below, add it to the conversation, and say: "Help me fill this in based on what I just described. Ask me if anything needs more detail."
3
Give "what it does not include" the attention it deserves
For your personal website this might look like: no blog, no system to manage content, no animations unless they have a clear purpose. The more specific you are here, the less you have to explain later.
4
Save the final PRD somewhere you can find it
A notes app, a document, anywhere works. You will paste it into your AI coding assistant in SOP 03.
what your PRD might look like
Example PRD — Marta, dog photographer
WHAT IT DOES:
A professional website for Marta, a dog photographer in Madrid. Visitors can see her work, explore her packages, and book a session.
WHO IT IS FOR:
Dog owners in Madrid who want professional photos of their pets and are looking for a photographer they can trust.
THE PROBLEM IT SOLVES:
Marta has no online presence. Potential clients cannot find her, see her work, or book a session without going through her personally.
WHAT IT INCLUDES IN THE FIRST VERSION:
A home page with who she is and what she does. A public gallery with her best work. A services section with three packages: outdoor session, studio, and premium. A booking calendar. A contact form.
WHAT IT DOES NOT INCLUDE:
Client login area. Private galleries. Online payments. Blog. Multiple languages.
TECH STACK:
AI coding assistant, GitHub Pages for hosting.
EDGE CASES:
What if someone tries to book a date that is already taken? What if the gallery takes too long to load on a phone? What if someone submits the contact form without filling in their email?
the template
This is one way to structure a PRD. Not the only way. As you build more you will notice which fields you actually use and what you wish you had written down. For now, use this one.
PRD Template
WHAT IT DOES:
[One sentence. What does this product do?]
WHO IT IS FOR:
[Be specific. Describe the person, not a market segment.]
THE PROBLEM IT SOLVES:
[What is the situation before this exists?]
WHAT IT INCLUDES IN V1:
[Only what goes in the first version. Keep it short.]
WHAT IT DOES NOT INCLUDE:
[Explicitly list what you are not building.]
TECH STACK:
[What tools will you use? If unsure, ask your AI assistant.]
EDGE CASES:
[What happens when something goes wrong?]
Your task this week
SOP 01
Write the PRD for your personal website.
Take the paragraph from SOP 00, open your AI assistant, paste the template, and fill in all seven fields. Save it. You will use it in every SOP from here on.
When done
A completed PRD. Seven fields filled. Saved and ready to paste into your AI coding assistant next week.