🎯 The Product Playbook

World-class product planning AI Skill — from idea to development, one framework to rule them all

Integrates the most impactful PM frameworks from Lenny's Podcast (Teresa Torres, Shreyas Doshi, Gibson Biddle, April Dunford, Todd Jackson, Marty Cagan, Richard Rumelt, and more) — turning AI into your senior product manager coach.

✨ What Is This?

The Product Playbook is a Claude AI Skill that systematically guides you through end-to-end product planning, from zero to one. It is not just a prompt — it is a complete interactive framework guidance system that includes:

🧭 6 execution modes — from 30-minute rapid validation to full-blown product plans (including a feature expansion fast track)
📐 22 product frameworks — covering the entire Discovery → Define → Develop → Deliver pipeline
🔄 Change propagation engine — modify any step and all downstream outputs update automatically
📎 Smart file integration — upload data, screenshots, or documents; the AI automatically integrates them into the relevant step
🔗 Dev handoff — generates CLAUDE.md + TASKS.md + TICKETS.md for seamless handoff to Claude Code development
📊 Multi-format output — PDF (with bookmarks), HTML reports, Word docs, PowerPoint decks, dev handoff packages
📄 Smart document import — three-layer PDF parsing (text extraction → Claude Vision → OCR fallback), DOCX/PPTX support

Trigger the entire flow with a single sentence:

I want to build a product

🎬 Demo

The Product Playbook Demo — Build Mode

The demo above shows Build Mode: describe your requirements → scan codebase → detect tech stack → apply frameworks for problem clarification, then jump straight into solution design.

🚀 Quick Start

Option 1: Claude.ai Custom Skill

Download this repo as a zip file
Go to Claude.ai → Settings → Custom Skills
Upload the entire product-playbook/ folder
Say "I want to build a product" in a conversation to trigger the skill

Option 2: Claude Code Plugin

In Claude Code, run:

/plugin marketplace add kaminoikari/product-playbook
/plugin install product-playbook@kaminoikari-product-playbook

The first command adds the marketplace (one-time setup). The second installs the plugin.

Option 3: Claude Code Skill (Recommended)

💡 To update: simply re-run the install command to overwrite with the latest version.

Method	Best for	Requirements
① Copy & Paste	Beginners	Just open Claude Code
② One-line install	Developers	Terminal
③ Manual install	Custom paths	Terminal + git

① Copy & Paste Install (Easiest)

After launching Claude Code, paste the following and Claude will handle the installation automatically:

Please run the following commands to install (or update) product-playbook skill,
and tell me the result when done:

git clone https://github.com/kaminoikari/product-playbook.git /tmp/product-playbook
mkdir -p ~/.claude/skills ~/.claude/commands
cp -r /tmp/product-playbook ~/.claude/skills/product-playbook
cp /tmp/product-playbook/commands/* ~/.claude/commands/
rm -rf /tmp/product-playbook

② One-line Install (Terminal)

# curl
curl -fsSL https://raw.githubusercontent.com/kaminoikari/product-playbook/main/install.sh | bash

# npx (requires Node.js)
npx product-playbook

Uninstall:

curl -fsSL https://raw.githubusercontent.com/kaminoikari/product-playbook/main/install.sh | bash -s -- --uninstall
# or
npx product-playbook --uninstall

③ Manual Install

git clone https://github.com/kaminoikari/product-playbook.git
mkdir -p ~/.claude/skills ~/.claude/commands
cp -r product-playbook ~/.claude/skills/product-playbook
cp product-playbook/commands/* ~/.claude/commands/

Once installed, trigger in Claude Code:

# Main skill command
> /product-playbook

# Slash Commands (available after install)
> /product-quick I want to build an expense tracking app
> /product-full a pet social platform
> /product-revision redesign our e-commerce checkout flow

# Or natural language
> I want to plan a product
> Analyze my product using JTBD
> Help me plan an MVP

📦 File Structure

product-playbook/
├── SKILL.md                          # Core engine: mode definitions, step sequences, command system
├── LICENSE                           # MIT License
├── README.md                         # English README (this file)
├── README.zh-TW.md                   # Traditional Chinese README
├── assets/
│   └── demo.gif                      # README demo animation
├── commands/                         # Claude Code CLI Slash Commands (optional install)
│   ├── product-quick.md              # /product-quick — Quick mode
│   ├── product-full.md               # /product-full — Full mode
│   ├── product-revision.md           # /product-revision — Revision mode
│   ├── product-build.md              # /product-build — Build mode
│   ├── product-feature.md            # /product-feature — Feature Extension mode
│   ├── product-prd.md                # /product-prd — Generate PRD
│   ├── product-report.md             # /product-report — Generate HTML report
│   └── product-dev.md                # /product-dev — Generate dev handoff package
└── references/
    ├── 00-opportunity-check.md       # Opportunity assessment + DHM Model
    ├── 01-strategy.md                # Strategy Blocks + Rumelt + OKR
    ├── 02-discovery.md               # Persona + JTBD + OST + Journey Map
    ├── 03-define.md                  # Pain points + Positioning + HMW + Opportunity assessment
    ├── 04-develop.md                 # PR-FAQ + Pre-mortem + RICE + MVP + PRD
    ├── 05-deliver.md                 # North Star + PMF + GTM + Business model + Product spec
    ├── 06-html-report.md             # HTML planning report output spec
    ├── 07-dev-handoff.md             # Dev handoff: CLAUDE.md + TASKS.md + Architecture
    ├── 08-security-checklist.md      # OWASP Top 10 + CORS + CSP + Security architecture
    ├── rules-context.md              # Cross-session product context accumulation rules
    ├── rules-document-tools.md       # Document conversion tool dependency management
    ├── rules-import-document.md      # Three-layer PDF parsing + DOCX/PPTX import
    ├── rules-export-document.md      # Multi-format export (PDF/DOCX/PPTX)
    ├── rules-*.md                    # Mode step rules + progress/change/file integration rules
    └── templates/
        ├── prd-style.css             # Professional print-grade CSS for PDF export
        └── report-style.css          # Print optimization CSS for HTML report → PDF

🧭 Six Execution Modes

Mode	Steps	Duration	Best for
🚀 Quick Mode	3 steps	~30 min	Rapid idea validation, pitch prep
📦 Full Mode	20 steps	Several hours	New product planning, major revamps
🔄 Revision Mode	12 steps	1-2 hours	Iterating on existing products
✏️ Custom Mode	4-16 steps	Varies	Filling specific gaps
⚡ Build Mode	7 steps	~1 hour	Problem is known, jump to solutions
🔧 Feature Expansion	4 steps	~30 min	Adding a single feature to an existing product

📐 Frameworks Included

Understanding Users

Framework	Creator	Purpose
JTBD (Jobs to Be Done)	Clayton Christensen	Uncover the real job users are trying to get done
Persona	—	Task/motivation-driven user archetypes
User Journey Map	—	End-to-end user experience mapping
Continuous Discovery	Teresa Torres	Weekly habit of talking to users
OST (Opportunity Solution Tree)	Teresa Torres	Systematically connect opportunities to solutions

Defining the Problem

Framework	Creator	Purpose
Positioning	April Dunford	Competitive context and differentiation
HMW (How Might We)	—	Transform pain points into design challenges

Solution Design

Framework	Creator	Purpose
Working Backwards / PR-FAQ	Amazon	Start from the customer outcome and work backwards
Pre-mortem	Shreyas Doshi	Predict and prevent failure before it happens
GEM Model	Gibson Biddle	Growth / Engagement / Monetization prioritization
RICE Scoring	Intercom	Quantitative feature prioritization
MVP Definition	—	Minimum viable product scoping

Strategy

Framework	Creator	Purpose
Strategy Blocks	Chandra Janakiraman	Mission → Vision → Strategy hierarchy
Good Strategy Kernel	Richard Rumelt	Diagnosis → Guiding policy → Coherent action
DHM Model	Gibson Biddle	Delight / Hard to copy / Margin-enhancing
Empowered Teams	Marty Cagan	Empowered teams vs. feature teams

Measurement & Delivery

Framework	Creator	Purpose
North Star Metric	Sean Ellis / Amplitude	Single metric representing core user value
Four-level PMF Framework	Todd Jackson	Assessing product-market fit
Sean Ellis Score	Sean Ellis	Quantifying PMF enthusiasm
GTM Strategy	—	Go-to-market launch and acquisition
Business Model & Pricing	—	Revenue model selection and value-based pricing

🔑 Key Features

📎 Smart File Integration

Upload supplementary files at any step — the AI automatically identifies and integrates them:

Upload	Auto-integrated into
Competitor screenshots	Positioning analysis
Interview transcripts	Persona + JTBD
User data CSV	Opportunity assessment + PMF evaluation
Market report PDF	Opportunity assessment + Strategy
Existing PRD	Revision mode + MVP

🔄 Change Propagation Engine

Modify any upstream step and downstream outputs update automatically:

Modify JTBD → auto-updates HMW, Positioning, PR-FAQ, North Star, Product Spec Summary
Modify MVP  → auto-updates User Stories, DB Schema, Product Spec Summary

🔗 Dev Handoff

Generate a complete dev handoff package and kick off Claude Code development with a single command:

📦 Dev Handoff Package
├── CLAUDE.md          → Claude Code project memory
├── TASKS.md           → Feature breakdown + phased delivery
├── TICKETS.md         → Ticket list (ready for Jira/Asana/Linear)
├── docs/
│   ├── PRD.md         → Full PRD
│   ├── ARCHITECTURE.md → DB Schema + API + directory structure
│   └── PRODUCT-SPEC.md → Product spec summary
└── scripts/
    └── setup.sh       → One-click initialization script

# Start development in Claude Code with a single command
> Please read CLAUDE.md and TASKS.md, start executing Phase 0

📄 Document Import & Export

Import any existing document into the planning flow — no manual copy-paste:

PDF (digital)   → pymupdf text extraction (instant, free)
PDF (vector/scan) → Claude Vision semantic parsing (best quality)
PDF (fallback)  → Tesseract OCR (offline capable)
DOCX / PPTX     → Pandoc conversion

Export planning outputs to professional formats:

/export pdf   → Playwright rendering + pikepdf bookmarks (CJK-perfect)
/export docx  → Pandoc + reference template
/export pptx  → Pandoc slide generation
/export html  → Interactive HTML report (existing)

Why PDF via Playwright? WeasyPrint produces garbled CJK text. Playwright (Chromium) renders perfectly — verified in production with Traditional Chinese documents.

🔥 Plan Directly on Existing Systems (Build Mode Killer Feature)

Launch Build Mode inside an existing project directory — Claude Code reads your codebase while doing product planning, effectively merging product planning and technical feasibility assessment into a single flow:

Your Existing Project                 Product Playbook
┌─────────────────┐                ┌─────────────────────┐
│ src/             │  ← auto-scan → │ Pre-mortem risk      │
│ db/schema.sql    │  ← auto-scan → │ MVP scoping          │
│ api/routes/      │  ← auto-scan → │ RICE prioritization  │
│ package.json     │  ← auto-scan → │ User Story breakdown │
│ CLAUDE.md        │  ← auto-scan → │ Dev handoff (delta)  │
└─────────────────┘                └─────────────────────┘

Usage example:

# 1. Navigate to your existing project
cd /path/to/your-existing-project

# 2. Launch Claude Code
claude

# 3. Use Build Mode and describe the feature you want to add
> /product-feature I want to add real-time notifications to my existing system

Claude Code will automatically:

Scan your directory structure, tech stack, and DB schema
Run Pre-mortem based on your real architecture (not hypothetical risks)
Generate MVP and User Stories that plug directly into existing modules
Produce a dev handoff package as an incremental plan, not a greenfield build

💡 Why is this powerful? Traditional product planning and technical assessment are separate processes — PMs write specs, toss them to engineers, and engineers say "this can't be done." Build Mode grounds the planning process in real system constraints, eliminating the back-and-forth.

🔒 Security Built In

Dev handoff packages automatically include security architecture — no afterthought patching:

OWASP Top 10 checklist — input validation, authentication/authorization, XSS/CSRF protection
Security architecture section — CORS policies, CSP headers, rate limiting, API security middleware
.gitignore template — auto-excludes .env, credentials, progress files
Pre-mortem security scenarios — data breaches, account takeovers, API abuse as mandatory considerations

📦 Cross-Session Product Context Accumulation

Planning outputs are automatically saved to .product-context.md and loaded on the next session:

1st session (Full Mode) → saves Identity + Core Strategy + Architecture
2nd session (Feature Expansion) → auto-loads tech stack and modules, skipping redundant collection
3rd session (Revision Mode) → carries forward historical decisions and known pain points, focusing on deltas

🏢 Automatic B2B / B2C Adaptation

Once the product type is confirmed, frameworks auto-adapt:

Aspect	B2C	B2B
Persona	Individual motivation segmentation	Buyer + User dual Persona
PMF	DAU / Retention / Sean Ellis	Paying customers / NRR / NPS
North Star	Core action completion count	ARR / Net Revenue Retention
Aha Moment	Within first use	Onboarding / Time-to-Value

📊 Quality Benchmark Results

By comparing response quality between "with Skill guidance" and "without Skill guidance" using automated AI grading, we quantify the real impact of the Skill.

Four Iterations Compared

Iteration	Test Items	With Skill Pass Rate	Without Skill Pass Rate	Delta
Iteration 1 (Baseline)	6	100%	57.4%	+42.6%
Iteration 2	6	100%	63.3%	+36.7%
Iteration 3	6	94.1%	38.2%	+55.9%
Iteration 4 (Latest)	9	100%	31%	+69% ✅

Iteration 4 Detailed Results (9 tests × 49 expectations)

Test Item	With Skill	Without Skill	Delta
Mode Selection (3-step progressive)	100%	0%	+100%
Quick Mode JTBD Analysis	100%	43%	+57%
JTBD Depth (B2B org-level)	100%	57%	+43%
PR-FAQ Writing	100%	33%	+67%
Revision Mode	100%	67%	+33%
Quality Self-check Hard Gate	100%	0%	+100%
Feature Expansion Mode (New)	100%	17%	+83%
Security Integration (New)	100%	25%	+75%
Context Bootstrap (New)	100%	0%	+100%

Key Findings

Quality Self-check Hard Gate (+100%): Whether the AI proactively critiques its own output with strict standards, flags gaps, and demands improvement after completing a deliverable — 0% pass rate without the Skill
Context Bootstrap (+100%): Whether the AI collects foundational product information before starting to plan, rather than jumping straight into technical implementation — completely skipped without the Skill
Feature Expansion Mode (+83%): Whether the AI recognizes "adding a feature to an existing product" scenarios and activates a streamlined 4-step flow instead of the full 7-12 steps — without the Skill, it jumps straight to technical solutions
Security Integration (+75%): Whether the dev handoff includes security architecture, .gitignore templates, and platform-specific security measures — without the Skill, security is reduced to a single summary table

See evals/ for detailed methodology and data.

💬 Available Commands

⌨️ Claude Code CLI Slash Commands

The main command available after installing the Skill:

Command	Description
`/product-playbook`	Launch the full product planning guided flow

For more granular shortcuts, install the pre-built slash commands from the commands/ folder:

# Install all slash commands
cp -r product-playbook/commands/* ~/.claude/commands/

Command	Description
`/product-quick <description>`	Quick Mode — run through JTBD → PR-FAQ → North Star in under 30 min
`/product-full <description>`	Full Mode — complete 20-step product plan
`/product-revision <description>`	Revision Mode — iterate and optimize an existing product
`/product-build <description>`	Build Mode — skip Discovery, jump straight to solutions
`/product-feature <description>`	Feature Extension — add a single feature to an existing product (4 steps)
`/product-prd`	Generate PRD engineering handoff package
`/product-report`	Generate HTML planning report
`/product-dev`	Generate dev handoff package (CLAUDE.md + TASKS.md + TICKETS.md)

💬 Natural Language Commands in Conversation

Flow Control

Switch to [framework] — immediately switch frameworks
Skip this step — skip the current step
Go back to [step name] — return to any step to modify it
Simplify this / Expand on this — adjust depth

Output Commands

Generate report — HTML planning report
Generate PRD — engineering handoff (includes flowcharts + DB Schema + wireframes)
Generate deck — PowerPoint presentation
Start development — dev handoff package (CLAUDE.md + TASKS.md)
/export pdf — export as PDF with professional typography, cover page, TOC, and bookmarks
/export docx — export as Word document
/export pptx — export as PowerPoint slides
/parse [file] — parse a PDF/DOCX/PPTX into Markdown for planning use

Analysis Commands

Run a completeness check — assess planning coverage
Identify assumptions — list unvalidated assumptions
Run a Pre-mortem — pre-mortem analysis
What PMF level is this product at? — PMF assessment
Find the bottleneck — Aha Moment obstacle analysis

🤝 Contributing

Contributions are welcome! Here are some areas where help is especially appreciated:

🌍 Multi-language support — translate frameworks into other languages
📐 New frameworks — add more product management frameworks
📝 Examples — add more worked examples to each framework
🐛 Bug reports — logic issues or gaps found during use
💡 UX improvements — suggestions for interaction flow and command design

How to Contribute

Fork this repo
Create your feature branch (git checkout -b feature/amazing-framework)
Commit your changes (git commit -m 'feat: add amazing framework')
Push to the branch (git push origin feature/amazing-framework)
Open a Pull Request

Contribution Guidelines

Framework content in reference files must cite sources
New frameworks must include updates to SKILL.md's framework index and step sequences
Quality self-check lists use ✅ / ❌ format
Multi-language support: maintain both English and Traditional Chinese versions

📚 Framework Sources & Further Reading

The frameworks in this project are synthesized from the public work of these thought leaders:

Thought Leader	Core Contribution	Recommended Reading
Teresa Torres	Continuous Discovery, OST	Continuous Discovery Habits
Shreyas Doshi	LNO, Pre-mortem, Three Levels of Product Work	Lenny's Podcast Ep.3
Gibson Biddle	DHM Model, GEM	Lenny's Podcast
April Dunford	Positioning Framework	Obviously Awesome
Todd Jackson	Four-level PMF, Four P's	Lenny's Podcast
Richard Rumelt	Good Strategy / Bad Strategy	Good Strategy Bad Strategy
Marty Cagan	Empowered Teams	Inspired, Empowered
Clayton Christensen	Jobs to Be Done	Competing Against Luck
Amazon	Working Backwards / PR-FAQ	Working Backwards
Sean Ellis	Sean Ellis Score, Growth	Hacking Growth
Lenny Rachitsky	Shape / Ship / Synchronize	Lenny's Newsletter + Podcast

📄 License

This project is licensed under the MIT License — free to use, modify, and distribute without restriction.

⭐ Star History

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Built with ❤️ for Product Managers who want to build things that matter.