Transform raw customer feedback and feature ideas into a structured product roadmap by prioritizing features, synthesizing user interview insights, and writing clear requirement documents. Keep your team aligned on what matters most while streamlining your strategy from discovery to delivery. Use this toolkit whenever you need to validate what to build next or organize your product planning.
name: “product-manager-toolkit”
description: Comprehensive toolkit for product managers including RICE prioritization, customer interview analysis, PRD templates, discovery frameworks, and go-to-market strategies. Use for feature prioritization, user research synthesis, requirement documentation, and product strategy development.
Product Manager Toolkit
Essential tools and frameworks for modern product management, from discovery to delivery.
# Create sample data filepython scripts/rice_prioritizer.py sample# Run prioritization with team capacitypython scripts/rice_prioritizer.py sample_features.csv --capacity 15
How would you feel if the product HAS this feature?
How would you feel if the product DOES NOT have this feature?
Discovery Frameworks
Customer Interview Guide
Structure (35 minutes total):
1. CONTEXT QUESTIONS (5 min) └── Build rapport, understand role2. PROBLEM EXPLORATION (15 min) └── Dig into pain points3. SOLUTION VALIDATION (10 min) └── Test concepts if applicable4. WRAP-UP (5 min) └── Referrals, follow-up
Detailed Script:
Phase 1: Context (5 min)
"Thanks for taking the time. Before we dive in..."- What's your role and how long have you been in it?- Walk me through a typical day/week.- What tools do you use for [relevant task]?
Phase 2: Problem Exploration (15 min)
"I'd love to understand the challenges you face with [area]..."- What's the hardest part about [task]?- Can you tell me about the last time you struggled with this?- What did you do? What happened?- How often does this happen?- What does it cost you (time, money, frustration)?- What have you tried to solve it?- Why didn't those solutions work?
Phase 3: Solution Validation (10 min)
"Based on what you've shared, I'd like to get your reaction to an idea..."[Show prototype/concept - keep it rough to invite honest feedback]- What's your initial reaction?- How does this compare to what you do today?- What would prevent you from using this?- How much would this be worth to you?- Who else would need to approve this purchase?
Phase 4: Wrap-up (5 min)
"This has been incredibly helpful..."- Anything else I should have asked?- Who else should I talk to about this?- Can I follow up if I have more questions?
Interview Best Practices:
Never ask "would you use this?" (people lie about future behavior)
Ask about past behavior: "Tell me about the last time..."
Embrace silence - count to 7 before filling gaps
Watch for emotional reactions (pain = opportunity)
Record with permission; take minimal notes during
Hypothesis Template
Format:
We believe that [building this feature/making this change]For [target user segment]Will [achieve this measurable outcome]We'll know we're right when [specific metric moves by X%]We'll know we're wrong when [falsification criteria]
Example:
We believe that adding saved payment methodsFor returning customersWill increase checkout completion rateWe'll know we're right when checkout completion increases by 15%We'll know we're wrong when completion rate stays flat after 2 weeksor saved payment adoption is < 20%
Hypothesis Quality Checklist:
Specific user segment defined
Measurable outcome (number, not "better")
Timeframe for measurement
Clear falsification criteria
Based on evidence (interviews, data)
Opportunity Solution Tree
Structure:
[DESIRED OUTCOME] │ ├── Opportunity 1: [User problem/need] │ ├── Solution A │ ├── Solution B │ └── Experiment: [Test to validate] │ ├── Opportunity 2: [User problem/need] │ ├── Solution C │ └── Solution D │ └── Opportunity 3: [User problem/need] └── Solution E
Example:
[Increase monthly active users by 20%] │ ├── Users forget to return │ ├── Weekly email digest │ ├── Mobile push notifications │ └── Test: A/B email frequency │ ├── New users don't find value quickly │ ├── Improved onboarding wizard │ └── Personalized first experience │ └── Users churn after free trial ├── Extended trial for engaged users └── Friction audit of upgrade flow
Process:
Start with measurable outcome (not solution)
Map opportunities from user research
Generate multiple solutions per opportunity
Design small experiments to validate
Prioritize based on learning potential
Jobs to Be Done
JTBD Statement Format:
When [situation/trigger]I want to [motivation/job]So I can [expected outcome]
Example:
When I'm running late for a meetingI want to notify attendees quicklySo I can set appropriate expectations and reduce anxiety
Force Diagram:
┌─────────────────┐ Push from │ │ Pull toward current ──────>│ SWITCH │<────── new solution │ DECISION │ solution │ │ └─────────────────┘ ^ ^ | | Anxiety of | | Habit of change ──────┘ └────── status quo
Interview Questions for JTBD:
When did you first realize you needed something like this?
What were you using before? Why did you switch?
What almost prevented you from switching?
What would make you go back to the old way?
Metrics Frameworks
North Star Metric Framework
Criteria for a Good NSM:
Measures value delivery: Captures what users get from product
Leading indicator: Predicts business success
Actionable: Teams can influence it
Measurable: Trackable on regular cadence
Examples by Business Type:
Business
North Star Metric
Why
Spotify
Time spent listening
Measures engagement value
Airbnb
Nights booked
Core transaction metric
Slack
Messages sent in channels
Team collaboration value
Dropbox
Files stored/synced
Storage utility delivered
Netflix
Hours watched
Entertainment value
Supporting Metrics Structure:
[NORTH STAR METRIC] │ ├── Breadth: How many users? ├── Depth: How engaged are they? └── Frequency: How often do they engage?
HEART Framework
Metric
Definition
Example Signals
Happiness
Subjective satisfaction
NPS, CSAT, survey scores
Engagement
Depth of involvement
Session length, actions/session
Adoption
New user behavior
Signups, feature activation
Retention
Continued usage
D7/D30 retention, churn rate
Task Success
Efficiency & effectiveness
Completion rate, time-on-task, errors
Goals-Signals-Metrics Process:
Goal: What user behavior indicates success?
Signal: How would success manifest in data?
Metric: How do we measure the signal?
Example:
Feature: New checkout flowGoal: Users complete purchases fasterSignal: Reduced time in checkout, fewer drop-offsMetrics: - Median checkout time (target: <2 min) - Checkout completion rate (target: 85%) - Error rate (target: <2%)
Funnel Analysis Template
Standard Funnel:
Acquisition → Activation → Retention → Revenue → Referral │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ How do First Come back Pay for Tell they find "aha" regularly value others you? moment
Metrics per Stage:
Stage
Key Metrics
Typical Benchmark
Acquisition
Visitors, CAC, channel mix
Varies by channel
Activation
Signup rate, onboarding completion
20-30% visitor→signup
Retention
D1/D7/D30 retention, churn
D1: 40%, D7: 20%, D30: 10%
Revenue
Conversion rate, ARPU, LTV
2-5% free→paid
Referral
NPS, viral coefficient, referrals/user
NPS > 50 is excellent
Analysis Framework:
Map current conversion rates at each stage
Identify biggest drop-off point
Qualitative research: Why are users leaving?
Hypothesis: What would improve conversion?
Test and measure
Feature Success Metrics
Metric
Definition
Target Range
Adoption
% users who try feature
30-50% within 30 days
Activation
% who complete core action
60-80% of adopters
Frequency
Uses per user per time
Weekly for engagement features
Depth
% of feature capability used
50%+ of core functionality
Retention
Continued usage over time
70%+ at 30 days
Satisfaction
Feature-specific NPS/rating
NPS > 30, Rating > 4.0
Measurement Cadence:
Week 1: Adoption and initial activation
Week 4: Retention and depth
Week 8: Long-term satisfaction and business impact
Strategic Frameworks
Product Vision Template
Format:
FOR [target customer]WHO [statement of need or opportunity]THE [product name] IS A [product category]THAT [key benefit, compelling reason to use]UNLIKE [primary competitive alternative]OUR PRODUCT [statement of primary differentiation]
Example:
FOR busy professionalsWHO need to stay informed without information overloadBriefme IS A personalized news digestTHAT delivers only relevant stories in 5 minutesUNLIKE traditional news apps that require active browsingOUR PRODUCT learns your interests and filters automatically
Competitive Analysis Framework
Dimension
Us
Competitor A
Competitor B
Target User
Core Value Prop
Pricing
Key Features
Strengths
Weaknesses
Market Position
Strategic Questions:
Where do we have parity? (table stakes)
Where do we differentiate? (competitive advantage)
============================================================RICE PRIORITIZATION RESULTS============================================================📊 TOP PRIORITIZED FEATURES1. Onboarding Flow RICE Score: 16000.0 Reach: 20000 | Impact: massive | Confidence: high | Effort: s2. Search Improvements RICE Score: 4800.0 Reach: 15000 | Impact: high | Confidence: high | Effort: m3. Social Login RICE Score: 3072.0 Reach: 12000 | Impact: high | Confidence: medium | Effort: m4. Push Notifications RICE Score: 3840.0 Reach: 10000 | Impact: massive | Confidence: medium | Effort: m5. Dark Mode RICE Score: 2133.33 Reach: 8000 | Impact: medium | Confidence: high | Effort: s📈 PORTFOLIO ANALYSISTotal Features: 5Total Effort: 19 person-monthsTotal Reach: 65,000 usersAverage RICE Score: 5969.07🎯 Quick Wins: 2 features • Onboarding Flow (RICE: 16000.0) • Dark Mode (RICE: 2133.33)🚀 Big Bets: 0 features📅 SUGGESTED ROADMAPQ1 - Capacity: 11/15 person-months • Onboarding Flow (RICE: 16000.0) • Search Improvements (RICE: 4800.0) • Dark Mode (RICE: 2133.33)Q2 - Capacity: 10/15 person-months • Push Notifications (RICE: 3840.0) • Social Login (RICE: 3072.0)
Customer Interview Analyzer Example
Input (interview.txt):
Customer: Jane, Enterprise PM at TechCorpDate: 2024-01-15Interviewer: What's the hardest part of your current workflow?Jane: The biggest frustration is the lack of real-time collaboration.When I'm working on a PRD, I have to constantly ping my team on Slackto get updates. It's really frustrating to wait for responses,especially when we're on a tight deadline.I've tried using Google Docs for collaboration, but it doesn'tintegrate with our roadmap tools. I'd pay extra for something thatjust worked seamlessly.Interviewer: How often does this happen?Jane: Literally every day. I probably waste 30 minutes just onback-and-forth messages. It's my biggest pain point right now.
============================================================CUSTOMER INTERVIEW ANALYSIS============================================================📋 INTERVIEW METADATASegments found: 1Lines analyzed: 15😟 PAIN POINTS (3 found)1. [HIGH] Lack of real-time collaboration "I have to constantly ping my team on Slack to get updates"2. [MEDIUM] Tool integration gaps "Google Docs...doesn't integrate with our roadmap tools"3. [HIGH] Time wasted on communication "waste 30 minutes just on back-and-forth messages"💡 FEATURE REQUESTS (2 found)1. Real-time collaboration - Priority: High2. Seamless tool integration - Priority: Medium🎯 JOBS TO BE DONEWhen working on PRDs with tight deadlinesI want real-time visibility into team updatesSo I can avoid wasted time on status checks📊 SENTIMENT ANALYSISOverall: Negative (pain-focused interview)Key emotions: Frustration, Time pressure💬 KEY QUOTES• "It's really frustrating to wait for responses"• "I'd pay extra for something that just worked seamlessly"• "It's my biggest pain point right now"🏷️ THEMES- Collaboration friction- Tool fragmentation- Time efficiency
Product Requirements Document (PRD) Templates
Standard PRD Template
1. Executive Summary
Purpose: One-page overview for executives and stakeholders
Components:
Problem Statement (2-3 sentences)
Proposed Solution (2-3 sentences)
Business Impact (3 bullet points)
Timeline (High-level milestones)
Resources Required (Team size and budget)
Success Metrics (3-5 KPIs)
2. Problem Definition
2.1 Customer Problem
Who: Target user persona(s)
What: Specific problem or need
When: Context and frequency
Where: Environment and touchpoints
Why: Root cause analysis
Impact: Cost of not solving
2.2 Market Opportunity
Market Size: TAM, SAM, SOM
Growth Rate: Annual growth percentage
Competition: Current solutions and gaps
Timing: Why now?
2.3 Business Case
Revenue Potential: Projected impact
Cost Savings: Efficiency gains
Strategic Value: Alignment with company goals
Risk Assessment: What if we don't do this?
3. Solution Overview
3.1 Proposed Solution
High-Level Description: What we're building
Key Capabilities: Core functionality
User Journey: End-to-end flow
Differentiation: Unique value proposition
3.2 In Scope
Feature 1: Description and priority
Feature 2: Description and priority
Feature 3: Description and priority
3.3 Out of Scope
Explicitly what we're NOT doing
Future considerations
Dependencies on other teams
3.4 MVP Definition
Core Features: Minimum viable feature set
Success Criteria: Definition of "working"
Timeline: MVP delivery date
Learning Goals: What we want to validate
4. User Stories & Requirements
4.1 User Stories
As a [persona]I want to [action]So that [outcome/benefit]Acceptance Criteria:- [ ] Criterion 1- [ ] Criterion 2- [ ] Criterion 3
4.2 Functional Requirements
ID
Requirement
Priority
Notes
FR1
User can...
P0
Critical for MVP
FR2
System should...
P1
Important
FR3
Feature must...
P2
Nice to have
4.3 Non-Functional Requirements
Performance: Response times, throughput
Scalability: User/data growth targets
Security: Authentication, authorization, data protection
Reliability: Uptime targets, error rates
Usability: Accessibility standards, device support