Linking specs to user and business needs

A product specification connects the goals of users and the objectives of the business within a single framework. It ensures that the product’s features and performance requirements serve both audiences. When user needs are clearly expressed in the specification, such as faster checkout flow or improved accessibility, they guide design and development decisions. At the same time, business priorities like cost efficiency or market differentiation shape the constraints and success metrics.

This balance is what makes specifications valuable across disciplines. For example, a spec for a mobile banking app might translate a user need for “secure and simple transfers” into a business requirement for “meeting financial compliance standards while reducing drop-off rates.” By integrating these perspectives early, the specification helps prevent conflicts between usability and profitability, ensuring the product delivers meaningful results for both sides.^[1]