write-spec_skill

Overview

This skill turns a problem statement or feature idea into a structured feature spec or PRD. It scopes the work, defines measurable goals and non-goals, and creates actionable requirements and acceptance criteria for implementation. Use it to go from vague requests to a ship-ready plan.

How this skill works

I start by clarifying the problem and target users, then gather context about constraints, prior work, and success signals. I produce a PRD with problem statement, goals, non-goals, prioritized user stories, categorized requirements (P0/P1/P2) with acceptance criteria, success metrics, open questions, and timeline considerations. After delivering the draft, I iterate based on feedback and can produce follow-up artifacts (tickets, design brief, stakeholder pitch).

When to use it

• Turning a vague idea or user request into a scoped feature plan
• Scoping a large ask into phased deliveries and prioritizing P0s
• Defining success metrics and acceptance criteria before implementation
• Preparing a spec for engineering, design, or stakeholder review
• Documenting decisions, open questions, and timeline dependencies

Best practices

• Start with a clear problem statement and measurable goals tied to user or business outcomes
• Be ruthless about must-haves (P0) to enable fast learning and delivery
• Explicitly list non-goals to prevent scope creep and align stakeholders
• Include acceptance criteria (Given/When/Then or checklist) for each P0 requirement
• Phase large features and record open questions with owners to unblock progress

Example use cases

• Convert customer feedback about onboarding drop-off into a prioritized PRD with success targets
• Create a phased spec for adding SSO support, including P0 login flows and P1 analytics
• Define requirements and acceptance criteria for a data export feature requested by enterprise customers
• Break a broad roadmap item into a v1 that ships quickly and a v2 planning document
• Prepare a spec to align engineering, design, and legal on compliance-related features