Introduction

Effective product development relies on a well-defined process that ensures alignment among all stakeholders, clarity of objectives, and actionable deliverables. This document outlines the structured approach for taking a project from the initial concept through detailed planning and execution. By adhering to this framework, our teams can minimize risks, improve efficiency, and deliver high-quality outcomes that align with business goals.

The process breakdown is as follows (with PlantUML editable content at the end):

Prerequisites: What You Must Believe

Before engaging in this process, certain foundational principles must be accepted:

1. Alignment is Critical: Success depends on early and continuous alignment across business, product, and engineering teams.

2. Investing in Planning Saves Time: Dedicating time upfront to requirements gathering, risk assessment, and design reduces rework and delays later.

3. Iterative Collaboration is Key: Each phase relies on feedback loops and cross-functional collaboration to ensure feasibility and adaptability.

4. Decisions Must Be Data-Driven: Every recommendation and decision should be grounded in data, whether from research, stakeholder input, or prior project learnings.

5. No Shortcutting the Process: The process is the process. If you start cutting corners on planning, you’ll end up with a product that doesn’t match the business’s needs nor the clients’ needs. The timing for this process is shown in the Gantt chart below (with PlantUML editable content at the end):

Business Requirements Alignment

Understanding and aligning business requirements is a critical first step in any project. This phase ensures that all stakeholders share a common vision and that the project aligns with organizational goals. Focusing on alignment early can reduce miscommunication, avoid wasted efforts, and set a clear foundation for subsequent phases. This process helps to:

• Define and validate the project's strategic importance.

• Assess feasibility within organizational constraints.

• Provide a preliminary analysis of risks, costs, and benefits.

Timeframe: 1–3 Days

Step 1: Business Requirement Alignment and Preliminary Analysis

Timeframe: 1–2 days

Purpose:

Meet with stakeholders to identify high-level business goals, assess alignment with strategic priorities, and conduct back-of-the-napkin calculations.

Evaluate initial cost, risk, and benefit to determine if the effort aligns with company priorities and constraints.

Output:

The initial business case presented as a combination of:

• PowerPoint Deck: Summarizes high-level business goals, preliminary costs, and strategic alignment.

• Supporting Spreadsheet: Details ROI calculations, cost breakdowns, and risk assessments.

These deliverables:

• Provide a concise overview for presentations.

• Include data for in-depth analysis by financial stakeholders and board members.

• Highlight preliminary cost estimates, potential ROI, key risks, and proposed mitigations.

• Demonstrate alignment with strategic priorities and financial feasibility.

Step 2: Business Risk/Cost/Benefit Assessment (Post-PRD)

Timeframe: 1 day

Purpose:

After the PRD is finalized, use the requirements and LOE estimates to conduct a more detailed assessment of costs, risks, and benefits.

Based on feasibility and potential ROI, provide an updated recommendation to proceed or reevaluate.

Output:

A detailed business case to support the next steps in the process is presented in the same format as above.

Requirement Gathering Process

Requirement gathering is a critical phase that transforms high-level business goals into actionable and prioritized requirements. This process ensures that all stakeholder perspectives are considered and that constraints, dependencies, and risks are well understood. By investing in a structured requirements-gathering process, teams can:

• Build a comprehensive understanding of project scope and objectives.

• Identify key technical and business dependencies early.

• Ensure alignment and buy-in from cross-functional stakeholders.

Timeframe: 1.25 - 2.25 Weeks

Step 1: Stakeholder Alignment

Timeframe: 1–2 days

Purpose:

Meet with stakeholders (product, engineering, integrations) to understand high-level goals and prioritize features.

Output:

• Requirements Prioritization Document: Captures high-level goals and feature priorities.

• Stakeholder Matrix: Documents roles, responsibilities, and decision-makers for each requirement.

• Meeting Summary Notes: Includes discussion points and agreed-upon priorities.

Step 2: Discovery and Research

Timeframe: 1–2 weeks (depending on complexity)

Purpose:

Conduct research, gather input, analyze existing data, and review constraints.

Output:

• Refined Requirements Document: A detailed list of requirements supported by data and stakeholder input.

• Technical Constraints Analysis: Document system limitations, integration challenges, and key dependencies.

• Feasibility Study: Provides technical, operational, and financial feasibility insights.

PRD Development

PRD Development formalizes the output of the requirement-gathering phase into a structured, detailed document that acts as the blueprint for product development. This phase ensures that all aspects of the product, from user stories to technical specifications, are thoroughly planned and communicated to all stakeholders. By investing in a well-crafted PRD, teams can:

• Reduce ambiguity and ensure alignment across product, engineering, and design teams.

• Facilitate more accurate estimations of effort, cost, and time.

• Create a single source of truth to guide execution and iterations.

Timeframe: 3 - 4 Weeks

Step 1: Initial Draft

Timeframe: 1 week

Purpose:

Write the initial PRD with high-level requirements and user stories.

Collaborate with engineering to identify potential challenges, key dependencies, and scope.

Output:

• Initial PRD Draft: Includes high-level requirements, user stories, and acceptance criteria.

• Engineering Feedback Document: Captures engineering feedback on technical feasibility and scope adjustments.

Step 2: Wireframe Creation

Timeframe: 3–5 days (overlapping or sequential with Step 1, as needed)

Purpose:

Create wireframes to visually represent key workflows, user interactions, and page layouts.

Ensure alignment between product vision, engineering feasibility, and UI/UX requirements.

Output:

• Wireframe Library: A collection of annotated wireframes linked to PRD requirements.

• Stakeholder Review Notes: Feedback from stakeholders to refine wireframes and ensure alignment.

Step 3: LOE and High-Level Design Review

Timeframe: 1–1.5 weeks

Purpose:

Collaborate with engineering to refine requirements.

Create a high-level design and task breakdown.

Estimate the Level of Effort (LOE) for development, integration, and testing.

Output:

• Updated PRD: Includes detailed LOE estimates, technical design documentation, and identified risks.

• High-Level Design Overview: Summarizes the system architecture, technical constraints, and integration points.

Step 4: Timeline and Milestone Planning

Timeframe: 2–3 days

Purpose:

Define a development timeline based on LOE, factoring in dependencies and resource availability.

Incorporate milestones into the PRD.

Output:

• Project Timeline Document: Includes a Gantt chart of milestones, dependencies, and critical path tasks.

• Finalized PRD: A comprehensive document containing requirements, wireframes, LOE, timelines, and milestones.

Jira Ticket Creation and Task Breakdown

Jira Ticket Creation is the bridge between planning and execution. This phase ensures that all tasks are actionable, assigned, and structured for efficient implementation. By translating the PRD into clearly defined tasks, this phase eliminates ambiguity and supports smooth sprint planning.

Timeframe: 1–3 Days

Purpose:

• Translate PRD requirements into actionable Jira tickets.

• Assign ownership and define dependencies for each task.

• Ensure alignment with the project roadmap and deliverables.

Output:

• Jira Ticket Backlog: Includes well-defined tickets with clear descriptions, acceptance criteria, and dependencies.

• Task Ownership Matrix: Identifies the owner for each task, ensuring accountability.

• Dependency Map: Highlights relationships between tasks to prevent bottlenecks.

UX/UI Design (Figma Design)

UX/UI Design transforms the PRD and wireframes into detailed, interactive designs. This phase focuses on creating a seamless user experience while addressing technical constraints and business requirements. By the end of this phase, stakeholders have a clear visual representation of the final product.

Timeframe: 1-2 weeks

Purpose:

• Develop high-fidelity designs and prototypes based on PRD requirements and wireframes.

• Collaborate with engineering to address technical feasibility and refine designs.

• Ensure alignment with user experience best practices and business goals.

Output:

• Figma Design Files: High-fidelity designs covering all key workflows and user interactions.

• Interactive Prototypes: Clickable prototypes for stakeholder review and feedback.

• Design Handoff Document: Includes specifications, style guides, and design tokens for development teams.

PlantUML

Below are the PlantUML diagrams as code.

MindMap

Gantt Chart