Overview

This workflow converts client discovery materials into a locked PRD that serves as the single source of truth for what gets built. The PRD defines the v1 user, the v1 workflow (3-5 steps), and explicit Phase 1 vs Phase 2/3 scope boundaries to prevent scope creep during development.

Before You Start

Access to all client intake materials from 00-CLIENT-INTAKE.md process
Claude access for document analysis
Copy of assets/prd-template.md from project repository
Project repository set up with source-pdfs/ folder
Client contact information for PRD approval

Steps

Create source-pdfs/ folder in the new project repository and drop all client materials (PDFs, voice memos, slide decks, emails, screenshots, prompt libraries) into it
Read through each source document in one pass without taking notes to get the overall gestalt of the project
Copy assets/prd-template.md into the project repo as starting point
Load all source materials into Claude and ask: "What's the v1 user, the v1 workflow, and the v1 features per these materials?"
Work with Claude to refine the first pass into the PRD structure: Problem (1 paragraph), User (1 paragraph), v1 workflow (max 7 numbered steps), v1 features (bulleted checklist), Out of scope for v1, Tech stack, Open questions, Decisions log
Replace all bracketed placeholders in the PRD template with project-specific content
Send completed PRD draft to client via email with message: "This is what I heard. Push back on anything wrong before I start building."
Wait 24 hours for client response and incorporate any corrections they provide
Update PRD status from "Draft" to "Locked" once client confirms accuracy
Commit final locked PRD to project repository as the build gate

Quality Check

PRD is 3-5 pages maximum and readable by a developer in 5 minutes
v1 workflow contains 3-7 concrete steps the user performs in the app
Features are written in plain English, not technical jargon
"Out of scope" section explicitly lists Phase 2/3 items
Client has confirmed PRD accuracy in writing
PRD status shows "Locked" with date

Common Issues

Scope creep during PRD creation: If client sends additional materials mid-process, create an alignment audit using the PRD-YYYY-MM-DD-source-doc-alignment.md template to surface deltas structurally
Vague client materials: Focus Claude queries on extracting the three core jobs: v1 user definition, v1 workflow steps, and feature boundaries
Client wants to modify locked PRD: Never modify silently - require new dated section, decision log entry, and alignment audit for meaningful scope changes
Too much executive summary content: Cut anything that doesn't serve the three PRD jobs - no vision statements or market analysis needed

Discovery Call to PRD Creation