Ep. 18 - How to Write a PRD (Product Requirement Document)

Open Hardware Manufacturing Podcast · 18 Apr 2024 · 51m

What this episode covers

Steven Oz and Lucian Chaper of Opulo explain how to write a Product Requirement Document (PRD) to ensure hardware products solve real customer problems rather than chasing 'nerd snipe' distractions. They detail the process of conducting customer interviews, defining immutable constraints, and making early architectural trade-offs, using their Lumen pick-and-place machine as a case study for balancing speed, assembly ease, and future expandability. The hosts emphasize that a PRD acts as a 'minimum useful product' rubric to prevent feature creep and ensure cross-departmental buy-in before committing to expensive manufacturing.

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