The PRD is Dead? Long Live the PRP (Product Requirement Prototype)

All Product Documentation is Wrong. Some of it is Useful. 

There is a common saying in Economics: "all frameworks are wrong; some are useful". The same could be said for most product documentation. For a long time, the "least wrong" framework seemed to be the Product Requirements Document (PRD). We’ve all spent countless hours listing "Functional vs Non-Functional Requirements" in a vacuum, hoping that a static text document would perfectly convey the "vibe" and flow of a complex feature.

But listing requirements in a vacuum often leads to “misinterpretation” by engineering or “mis-expression” by users or business stakeholders. Text has a high failure rate when it comes to nuances. Words are hard.

Cue “Product Requirement Prototypes” (PRPs)

Modern product development is rapidly moving toward a new standard: the Product Requirement Prototype (PRP). The shift is simple but profound. Instead of describing how a button works, you show it.

This shift is perfectly captured by Jaclyn Konzelmann in her blog post, From Words to Prototypes. She highlights that while a picture may be worth a thousand words, "an interactive prototype is worth a thousand videos any day".

She goes on to make a critical observation that defines this new era of product management:

A good prototype isn't a statement. It's a question.

This is the essence of the PRP. It isn't just about showing off a finished idea; it serves as a tool for thinking. "Vibe coding" allows us to bring abstract concepts to life, replacing pages of documentation with a simple interactive model that invites feedback rather than demanding compliance.

Real-World Validation: The Cursor Model

We are seeing this “agile requirements” methodology deployed by high-velocity product teams. Ryo, the Head of Design at Cursor, recently explained that their workflow is the opposite of traditional "big tech best practices".

• Roles are Muddy: PM work is spread across designers and engineers, utilizing AI to fill skill gaps.
• Code First: Most designs start as live Cursor prototypes rather than static images because "it feels more real than pictures".
• No Roadmap Theater: They avoid "annual roadmap theater" and focus on shipping to concentric circles of users for polish.

Alis Ideate: Bridging the Gap

This transition from "Functional Requirements" to "Functional Prototypes" can be difficult to manage. This is where Alis Ideate comes in. We built Alis Ideate to make prototyping and "rapid feedback" best practices easier to implement, ensuring you spend less time writing about what you want to build and more time validating it.

The PRD had a good run. But if you want to stop misinterpretation and start shipping, perhaps it’s time to let a prototype do the talking.