Feature Specification Template

Problem Statement

Describe the specific problem this feature solves. Who is affected, what pain they experience, and what happens if we do nothing. Ground the reader in the problem before proposing a solution.

Goals & Success Metrics

Define what success looks like. Every goal must have a measurable metric with a target value and a deadline for evaluation.

Non-Goals

Be explicit about what this feature intentionally does NOT address. This prevents scope creep and sets correct expectations with stakeholders and engineering.

• Capability explicitly deferred to a future iteration and why

• Adjacent feature that will be handled in a separate spec

• User segment, platform, or use case not targeted in this version

Target Users

Identify the specific user segments this feature serves. Not every feature is for every user — being precise here prevents scope creep.

User Stories & Acceptance Criteria

Write stories from the user's perspective. Each story should be independently deliverable and testable.

Story 1: [Short descriptive title]

Must Have As a [type of user], I want [capability], so that [benefit].

Acceptance Criteria:

• Given [context], when [action], then [expected result]

• Given [context], when [action], then [expected result]

• Given [error condition], then [graceful handling]

Story 2: [Short descriptive title]

Should Have As a [type of user], I want [capability], so that [benefit].

Acceptance Criteria:

• Given [context], when [action], then [expected result]

• Given [context], when [action], then [expected result]

Story 3: [Short descriptive title]

Nice to Have As a [type of user], I want [capability], so that [benefit].

Acceptance Criteria:

• Given [context], when [action], then [expected result]

• Given [context], when [action], then [expected result]

Functional Requirements

Edge Cases & Error Handling

Document scenarios where the feature encounters unexpected input, boundary conditions, or failure modes. For each case, specify the expected behavior.

UX & Design

Describe the user experience flow from entry point to completion. Link to wireframes, mockups, or prototypes.

• Entry point: How does the user discover and access this feature?

• Core flow: What are the key steps from start to completion?

• Feedback: How does the user know the action succeeded or failed?

• Mobile considerations: How does the experience adapt on small screens?

Technical Considerations

Provide context for engineering without prescribing the solution. Call out constraints, performance requirements, and integration points.

• Data model changes: New tables, fields, or migrations needed

• API changes: New endpoints or modifications to existing ones

• Performance: Latency targets, expected query volume, caching strategy

• Security: Authentication, authorization, data sensitivity considerations

• Backwards compatibility: Impact on existing users, data migration needs

• Observability: Key metrics, alerts, or dashboards to add

Timeline

Break the work into milestones with target dates. This helps stakeholders track progress and surfaces scheduling risks early.

Risks & Dependencies

Identify what could go wrong and what this feature depends on. For each risk, assess the likelihood and impact, and define a mitigation plan.

Rollout Plan

Define how this feature will be released to users. Consider phased rollouts, feature flags, and rollback criteria.

Release Checklist

• All acceptance criteria pass in staging environment

• Design review completed and approved

• Engineering code review completed

• QA sign-off on functional and edge case testing

• Performance testing: meets latency and throughput targets

• Analytics instrumented: key events tracked, dashboard updated

• Documentation updated: help articles, changelog, API docs (if applicable)

• Feature flag configured for phased rollout

• Rollback plan documented and tested

• Stakeholder demo completed and sign-off received

Open Questions

Track unresolved decisions that need input before or during development.