Build a PRD from sources

Turn strategy docs, old PRDs, and repo context into structured requirements with citations.

For

Product managers

Time

15 minutes

Difficulty

Beginner

The problem

Writing PRDs means juggling context from strategy docs, past PRDs, repo constraints, and design notes. You waste time copy-pasting and lose track of which claims came from where. Smaran connects these sources so you can draft a grounded PRD with citations that prove every requirement.

What you need before starting

Strategy document or product brief

The "why" behind this feature

Previous PRD or related spec (optional)

For consistency and format reference

Repo readme or architecture notes

Technical constraints and system context

Step-by-step workflow

STEP 1

Add sources to your workspace

Navigate to Sources in the bottom dock. Click "Add Source" and connect your strategy doc (upload PDF or paste URL), prior PRD (paste link or upload), and repo (paste GitHub URL). Smaran will chunk and index each source.

Success looks like: All three sources show "Ready" status in your source library.

STEP 2

Ask clarifying questions in chat

Open Team Memory (chat) and ask specific questions to pull context: "What are the key goals from the strategy doc?", "What constraints does the repo architecture impose?", "How did we structure scope in the last PRD?"

Success looks like: Chat returns answers with citations linking to specific chunks in your sources.

STEP 3

Create a new artifact

From the Home view, create a new artifact and title it (e.g., "User Permissions PRD"). Start with a simple outline: Goals, Scope, Non-Goals, Acceptance Criteria, Risks.

Success looks like: A blank artifact editor opens with your title and basic headings.

STEP 4

Generate section drafts from chat

In the artifact editor, use the chat panel to ask for specific sections: "Draft a Goals section based on the strategy doc", "List acceptance criteria grounded in the repo constraints". Insert generated content into your artifact.

Success looks like: Each section is populated with cited claims that link back to your sources.

STEP 5

Refine and verify citations

Review each section. Click citations to verify they support the claims. Edit for clarity and add your own context where AI output is incomplete. Use chat to ask follow-ups if needed.

Success looks like: A polished PRD where every requirement traces back to a source.

What good output looks like

✓ Clear goals tied to strategy

Example: "Enable role-based access for team workspaces (per Q3 strategy doc, section 2.1)"

✓ Explicit scope and non-goals

Example: "In scope: Admin/Member roles. Out of scope: Custom role creation (deferred to Q4)"

✓ Acceptance criteria with citations

Example: "API must support role checks per repo pattern (see auth.ts lines 45-67)"

✓ Risks grounded in constraints

Example: "Migration complexity for existing workspaces (noted in architecture.md)"

Common mistakes and fixes

Asking vague questions in chat

Weak: "Tell me about the feature". Strong: "What are the top 3 goals from the strategy doc for user permissions?"

Fix: Ask specific, scoped questions that guide retrieval to exact sections.

Not verifying citations

Blindly trusting AI output without clicking through to source chunks.

Fix: Click every citation link to confirm it supports the claim. Edit if it doesn't.

Reusable prompt template

Draft a [section name] for a PRD on [feature name].

Base it on:
- Goals from [strategy doc name]
- Constraints from [repo name]
- Format from [prior PRD name]

Include:
- 3-5 bullet points
- Citations to source chunks
- Clear success criteria

Related examples

Generate engineering handoff →

Turn your PRD into implementation checklists

Document product decisions →

Log the rationale behind scope choices

Ready to build your PRD?

Connect your sources and follow this guide in Smaran.

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