02-write-prd

Write PRD

Purpose

Convert the refined idea + project context into a precise PRD. Implementation-grade means: an engineer who has never seen the conversation can pick up the PRD and start working without asking questions.

When to invoke

• Step 3 of /superbuilder:superbuild, after 00-intake-refine and 01-context-sync.
• Whenever scope changes mid-build and the existing PRD is now wrong.

Required output

Write .superbuilder/PRD.md with these sections — all required, no skipping:

1. Summary (2–3 sentences). What we're shipping.
2. Primary user(s) & jobs to be done. From intake.md, restated in the project's domain language from context/domain.md.
3. Success criteria. Three observable, falsifiable conditions. Tied to a specific user action when possible ("user can complete checkout in <3 clicks").
4. In scope. Bullet list of capabilities.
5. Out of scope. Bullet list of capabilities the user might assume but we will not build.
6. Constraints. Stack, runtime, deployment, latency budget, accessibility level (WCAG AA default for UI), browser/OS support matrix.
7. Risks. Top 5 risks with one-line mitigations. Mark security risks separately.
8. Approval policy. Which actions require human approval. Default list:
   • production deploy
   • destructive commands
   • secrets changes
   • billing/payment changes
   • auth changes
   • database destructive migrations
   • new production dependency
   • quality-gate weakening
   • public API contract change
9. Quality gates (concrete commands). From context/gates.json. Mark null gates explicitly.
10. Deployment policy. deploymentAllowed: false is the default. Document what changing it requires.
11. Open questions. Things the user must answer before story planning.

Source basis

Merges Addy spec-driven-development (the section spine), Matt to-prd (conversation→PRD compression), Ralph PRD pattern (machine-readable contract). The output here is the human-facing markdown; 03-plan-stories will materialize the JSON.

Anti-rationalization rules

• "This is small, one section is enough." No. All eleven sections, even short.
• "The user already said this." Restate in the PRD anyway. The PRD is the canonical artifact agents read; conversation is ephemeral.
• "Risks are obvious." Write them anyway. If you cannot name 3 risks, you do not understand the project.
• "We can deploy from main." No. deploymentAllowed defaults to false. Production deploy is a separate, gated act.

Hand-off

When PRD.md is complete AND the user has explicitly approved it (use AskUserQuestion), hand off to 03-plan-stories to materialize the story JSON. Without explicit approval, the orchestrator must not start.