Nothing quite like starting your day with a good prompt
Hello, fellow product manager! I know the struggle of finding new ways to work smarter and streamline processes all too well. That's why, after discovering tools like ChatGPT and countless hours of experimentation, I'm excited to share with my Substack followers something I've been developing for a while: Product Manager Prompt Engineering.
Got a little of everything in here - story generation, stakeholder management, user interview templates, and OKR generation.
These prompts have completely transformed how I work and allowed me to collaborate more effectively with my engineering team, save time, improve decision-making, communicate more clearly with my stakeholders, and ultimately deliver better product results.
If you enjoyed this, I plan to add more and keep an updated list on Gumroad.
Happy prompting, everyone.
Product and Feature Prompts
Simple user story
Write a user story specs for a <product/feature description> using this format: What, Why, Acceptance Criteria
e.g. Write a user story specs for a food delivery app feature that allows users to track where their food is using this format: What, Why, Acceptance Criteria
Suggest OKRs
Suggest a list of OKRs for a <product/feature description>. Go step by step
e.g. Suggest a list of OKRs for a fitness tracking app. Go step by step
e.g. Suggest a list of OKRs for building a search API service to help internal clients find reviewers for a manuscript. Go step by step
Suggest OKRs for a Search API
Critique OKRs
Critique these OKRS as an experienced product leader. Provide examples for each: <Paste in your OKRs>
e.g. Critique these OKRS as an experienced product leader. Provide examples for each: Objective: Increase User Acquisition
Key Result 1: Achieve a 20% increase in total downloads within the next quarter
Key Result 2: Increase the app's visibility on app stores by achieving a 10% increase in search impressions
Key Result 3: Achieve a 15% increase in the number of referrals from current users
User Interview Questions
Create non-leading user interview questions for <product/feature description> that passes the Mom Test (book by Rob Fitzpatrick)
e.g. Create non-leading user interview questions for a meal planning app that passes the Mom Test (book by Rob Fitzpatrick)
Roadmap
Create a prioritised roadmap in different phases for <product/feature> listing down all the sub features and showcasing impact and effort
e.g. Create a prioritised roadmap in different phases for a fitness app listing down all the sub features and showcasing impact and effort
Customer Journey
Create a customer journey for a <product/feature/user with specific problem>. Include: user persona, scenario, goals, challenges, user problems, expectations, the experience with touchpoints, and the insights in the form of opportunities and questions. Go step by step:
e.g. Create a customer journey for a meditation app for stressed out professionals. Include: user persona, scenario, goals, challenges, user problems, expectations, the experience with touchpoints, and the insights in the form of opportunities and questions. Go step by step:
User Testing Questions
Create user testing instructions for <product/feature> without giving them step by step instructions and replacing those with user goals. Add questions at the end to ask the user
e.g. Create user testing instructions for a workout app that uses AI to generate personalized exercise routines without giving them step by step instructions and replacing those with user goals. Add questions at the end to ask the user
Competitor Analysis
For <product/feature>, write a competitor analysis of companies offering similar features in the form of a table: Company | Funding | Investors | Customers | Target Market
e.g. For a meal delivery service, write a competitor analysis of companies offering similar features in the form of a table: Company | Funding | Investors | Customers | Target Market
Competitor SWOT Analysis
For a <product/feature>, write a competitor analysis of companies offering similar features in the form of a table: Company | Strengths | Weaknesses | Opportunities| Threats
e.g. For a mobile payment app, write a competitor analysis of companies offering similar features in the form of a table: Company | Strengths | Weaknesses | Opportunities| Threats
Draft a PRD
Write a Product Requirements Document for <your product/feature idea, value proposition, target audience>. Describe the opportunity, supporting evidence, success metrics, non-goals, scope, user experience and any risks or assumptions. Go step by step.
e.g. Write a Product Requirements Document for a budgeting app for freelancers. Describe the opportunity, supporting evidence, success metrics, non-goals, scope, user experience and any risks or assumptions. Go step by step.
Product Marketing Brief
Write a feature brief for our marketing team: <product/feature description>. Go step by step
e.g. Write a feature brief for our marketing team for a sleep tracking app that uses AI to offer personalized recommendations selling proposition of the app, target audience of people who struggle with sleep and the app's benefits. Go step by step.
Customer Support Documentation
Write customer support documentation for this feature:<feature description>. Go step by step
e.g. Write customer support documentation for this feature: allows users to create custom sleep goals to create and edit sleep goals, troubleshoot common issues, and provide examples of how to use this feature to achieve better sleep. Go step by step
Agenda for Pre-Mortem Meeting
Write a pre-mortem meeting agenda for a new feature that <feature description>. Suggest questions that encourage healthy debate and conversation within the team. Go step by step
e.g. Write a pre-mortem meeting agenda for a new feature that integrates with Google Calendar to show sleep patterns. Suggest questions that encourage healthy debate and conversation within the team. Go step by step
Product Launch Strategy
Give an example of a go-to-market strategy for launching a <product/feature description>, including target audience, messaging, and channel strategy.
e.g. Give an example of a go-to-market strategy for launching a language learning app for children that uses gamification to make learning fun, including target audience, messaging, and channel strategy.
Create a Product Vision
Give a product vision for a new product, using <your/preferred framework> approach, which is a <product description, value proposition>. Go step by step.
Product Vision Frameworks:
Gibson Biddle's GLE Framework
The Three Horizons Framework by McKinsey & Company
The Jobs-To-Be-Done (JTBD) Framework
The Golden Circle by Simon Sinek
The Lean Canvas by Ash Maurya
The 4Ps Framework by E. Jerome McCarthy
e.g. Give a product vision for a new product, using the Jobs-To-Be-Done (JTBD) Framework approach, which is a new project management tool is to enable teams to deliver projects on time and on budget with a simple and intuitive platform that integrates with other essential tools. Go step by step.
Ideate Features
What product features are necessary to include in this: <your product idea, value proposition, target audience>?
e.g. What product features are necessary to include in this: a mental health app designed for busy professionals?
Product Strategy Prompts
Agenda for a Strategy Meeting
Create a <meeting type> agenda using <relevant meeting framework> focusing on <details about the context of the meeting>
Meeting Types:
Quarterly Product Strategy
OKR Meeting
Weekly Metric Meeting
Meeting Frameworks:
Gibson Biddle’s Framework
Simon Sinek's "Start With Why" Framework
Roman Pichler's "Agile Product Strategy" Framework
John Doerr's "Objectives and Key Results" (OKR) Framework
Ben Horowitz's "Peacetime vs Wartime CEO" Framework
Marty Cagan's "Empowered Product Teams" Framework
e.g. Create a quarterly product strategy meeting agenda using Marty Cagan's "Empowered Product Teams" Framework, focusing on the progress and performance of current products, discussing the company's goals and vision for the future, and setting objectives for the next quarter.
Craft Product Principles
Outline a set of product principles for a product team that values the following: <list/the values of your team>
e.g. Outline a set of product principles for a product team that values the following: simplicity and customer-centricity
Market Analysis Prompts
Market Size Estimation
For a <product/feature>, write an analysis of target markets that this could be sold into, including market size and references to sources of statistics or data and the target customer persona in the form of a table: Target Market | Market Size (EST) | References/Sources | Customer Persona
e.g. For a virtual event platform, write an analysis of target markets that this could be sold into, including market size and references to sources of statistics or data and the target customer persona in the form of a table: Target Market | Market Size (EST) | References/Sources | Customer Persona
Creating a new Business Category
Using the <your/preferred category or positioning methodology> for designing a new business category focusing on <product/summary>. Go step by step and provide examples.
Potential Category or Positioning Methodologies:
Category Pirates
Blue Ocean Strategy
Jobs-to-be-Done
Design Thinking
Lean Startup
Value Proposition Design
e.g. Using the Blue Ocean Strategy for designing a new business category focusing on a meal delivery service that focuses on sustainability and eco-friendliness. Go step by step and provide examples.
Other Productivity Prompts
Mock Interview Preparation
Act as the <hiring manager's role> interviewing me for a <position/title> with the company <company/name>. List the questions you will ask to establish whether I'm right for the role and the culture, and suggest the kinds of answers you'd be expecting.
e.g. Act as the VP of Product interviewing me for a Senior Product Manager role with the company Tesla. List the questions you will ask to establish whether I'm right for the role and the culture, and suggest the kinds of answers you'd be expecting.
Driver Tree
Give an example of a value driver tree (KPI Tree) for a <product/feature>, which helps <target user, product description, value proposition>
e.g. Give an example of a value driver tree (KPI Tree) for a social media platform that helps advertisers reach their target audience and increase brand awareness.
Buyer's Persona
Write example buyer personas for <product/description>. Use the following format: priorities, pain points, willingness to pay, things to watch out for.
e.g. Write example buyer personas for a home security system. Use the following format: priorities, pain points, willingness to pay, things to watch out for.
Increase User Engagement
Suggest a list of ways to improve user engagement for <product/description>. Go step by step and provide examples.
e.g. Suggest a list of ways to improve user engagement for a platform that connects people with local booksellers. Go step by step and provide examples.
Product Debating Partner
You are an experienced senior product manager. Critique the following text, and use examples to support your arguments. Go step by step: <outline your idea, strategy, plan>
e.g. You are an experienced senior product manager. Critique the following text, and use examples to support your arguments. Go step by step: a platform that connects people with local booksellers using an app to try and encourage people to buy local
