The ChatGPT Product Documentation Jumpstart Guide

Are you a product person looking to figure out ChatGPT and how it can be used for our most common documentation deliverables? Let's get into it! I'll show you some ways to utilize ChatGPT to assist in the creation of common product documentation and some ideas for how to utilize ChatGPT to keep the human in product. Please note that many of these document prompts outputs can be used for the creation of later documents. The product roadmap feeds into a great product requirements document that can power a business case document! It all goes together and I want to show you how much synergy can be had using ChatGPT to help you build awesome documentation!

Product Roadmap:

This is a strategic document that describes the vision for a product or a group of products. It outlines the direction, key functionalities and features that will be developed over time, and the timeline for those developments. What can we use from ChatGPT to help build elements of a good roadmap. Focus on a solid vision and here is a prompt to use when looking for inspiration to define the vision.

"Hey ChatGPT, I'm looking to build out a product and I need help describing this product to help me create a product roadmap as the deliverable.?Can you ask me 10 questions regarding a product that does (Describe the product the best you can).?The intended user of this product is (Describe your use, platform or intended audience).?Key functionalities can include (Describe what functions you can) but I want you to help me define missing functionalities common to other like products.?Also, please create a general timeline of how these key functions should be developed using a (Scrum, Kanban, Waterfall) methodology."

Using the above should give some very good clarifying questions to refine the idea and dial into a good product roadmap. Don't use the output verbum obviously as that's not going to work very well, the output is to assist you in making a final document. After answering the 10 questions in a ordered list (1,2,3...10) ask

"ChatGPT do you have enough information to complete the original request of writing a product vision, key functionalities and give me a possible timeline for development using (Scrum, Kanban, Waterfall) methodology?"

If so, you're good to go! With this you'll have a great head start in getting a roughed out product roadmap started.

Product Requirements Document (PRD)

This is a document that communicates what the product team should build. It contains user stories, functional requirements, and non-functional requirements. It typically outlines the purpose of the product, its features, capabilities, and behavior, as well as the context in which it will be used. The prompt will be slightly different than a roadmap as it needs to be more granular and allow for a possible product backlog.

"Hey ChatGPT, I want you to help me write a product requirements document following the (Scrum, Kanban, Waterfall) development style. This document should include sample user stories, list of functional requirements and non-functional requirements common to other like products. Ensure that there is a summary of features with sub tasks for each. Below is a description of the product: (Use the product roadmap output from the above product roadmap prompt to fill in the description! Double value!)"

The output will need to be refined and tweaked as the first pass will not be very good. Remember that asking questions within the chat you started above will continue to refine the output of the request. If a part of the output doesnt make sense or needs more refinement, ask chatgpt some of these prompts:

"Better define item # to include more team based tasks that better interaction with feature ABC"

"Rewrite the following "COPY/PASTE THE PART YOU WANT CHANGED" to have more X and emphasis Y for the intended audience of Z"

Just remember to keep iterating in the same chat you started the PRD request from, and you'll soon have a very well flushed out PRD. I think I better write an article about how to refine outputs on chatGPT...if you agree comment below asking me to write it!

Market Analysis Report:

This is a document that outlines the current state of the market, including a study of competitors, target customers, market trends, and potential market opportunities. It is used to identify the product's unique value proposition and potential areas for growth or improvement. Crafting a good MAR is going to take some prework before the prompt will yield as much value but here is a good prompt to get you started. You'll need to have GPT 4.0 and a plugin such as VoxScript to reach out to the internet for the response. Responses for real time market information can be rough with ChatGPT but GPT 4.0 is way better than 3.0 for this so don't be cheap and buy a premium account.

"Hey ChatGPT, I am doing a market analysis report about a product I will describe below as "Product Description". Use the VoxScript plugin to find what other competitors of my company that I will describe to you as "My Company Description". Who are the target customers who could use my product and what are possible market opportunities my product could fulfil for my customers. I will describe an example customer below as "Customer Description". Product Description: (use the roadmap or PRD here)

My Company Description: Describe your company

Customer Description: Describe a customer"

I'm not going to lie, this prompt could yield something or absolute garbage as a response depending on niche the product or market is. Try to iterate inside the chat and refine the response as much as possible. If that fails, then you'll need to take what you can get and go from there. Anytime ChatGPT has to talk live to the internet there can be a lot missed in translation.

Business Case Document

This is a document that outlines the justification for a proposed product, including its potential benefits, risks, costs, and revenue projections. It's used to convince stakeholders (such as executives or investors) to invest resources in the product. The document should contain enough information for executives or other stakeholders to make a decision about your product but not bore them to death. Try this prompt to help.

"Hey ChatGPT, write a business case document that will outline the potential benefits, risks, estimated costs with categories and possible revenue projections assuming (Describe a target sales number, user count, etc). Use the below product roadmap to product the business case document requested above. (Copy/Paste the Product Roadmap output from the first section we talked about earlier, I told you there is a great synergy)"

ChatGPT is great for making content but will not represent the output in a clean or visually appealing manner. After refinement of the Business Case Document is done, I recommend using Canva or other options like Adobe Express for making a more visually appealing presentation. This document is critical to not only have good content but great visual appeal to entice management to read it. The goal is to get approval for your product so SELL, SELL, SELL!!!

User Personas

My inner D&D nerd gets so happy when I start making user personas. These are fictional characters created to represent the different user types that might use a product in a similar way. User personas are extremely useful in helping the product team understand the user needs, experiences, behaviors, and goals, which can guide the design and development of the product. This prompt is greatly benefited by having the product roadmap or the product requirements document prompt available. Try this!

"Hey ChatGPT, Can you please help me make a series of 5-10 different user personas that would describe the users of my product, which I will describe below, using the following dimensions: User needs, how a user would use my product, behaviors and the users goals. My product is the following: (Copy/Paste prompt response for the roadmap or the product requirements document)"

The outputs on user requirements are really entertaining as you'll see some crazy names or titles. Some of the funniest output uses I have seen are like "uses to organize cat collection", "enjoys to talk with the product while making spreadsheets" or "unable to form emotional attachment to their invoice". You'll have a great time with these but what chatGPT does very well is get your creative juices flowing. Do the same redefining as always and eventually you'll have some real good user personas but then probably a ton of fun oddities as well.

Thank you for reading this article. If you made it this far, give me a follow and lets talk product and AI! This article was written by a good ol' fashioned human so feel free to ask questions in the comments.

Beau