Defining and communicating product requirements

Product managers turn customer needs into clear requirements that teams can build. This translation is key to product success. Good requirements explain what problems to solve without forcing specific solutions. This gives teams room to be creative while making sure the final product helps users. Think about travel booking websites. Product managers didn’t just ask for “better search.” Instead, they wrote requirements based on what travelers are trying to do, like finding a place within a budget or with certain features. This approach connects with the Jobs to Be Done framework.

Users don’t just want to search. They want to find the cheapest option or book the best-reviewed hotel. It’s about the job they’re trying to get done, not just the feature they’re using.^[1] Clear requirements prevent confusion that wastes time and effort. Whether using user stories, product requirement documents, or feature briefs, product managers make sure everyone knows what's being built and why. They check requirements through user research and data before starting development. The best product managers write requirements with enough detail to guide teams but keep them flexible enough to change when new information comes up during development.^[2]