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feature-spec▌

pproenca/dot-skills · updated Apr 8, 2026

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$npx skills add https://github.com/pproenca/dot-skills --skill feature-spec
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summary

Comprehensive feature specification and planning guide for software engineers, product managers, and technical leads. Contains 42 rules across 8 categories, prioritized by impact to prevent scope creep and ensure project success.

skill.md

Software Engineering Feature Specification and Planning Best Practices

Comprehensive feature specification and planning guide for software engineers, product managers, and technical leads. Contains 42 rules across 8 categories, prioritized by impact to prevent scope creep and ensure project success.

When to Apply

Reference these guidelines when:

  • Writing PRDs or feature specifications
  • Defining requirements or user stories
  • Managing scope and preventing scope creep
  • Prioritizing features and backlog items
  • Handling change requests
  • Aligning stakeholders on project goals

Rule Categories by Priority

Priority Category Impact Prefix
1 Scope Definition CRITICAL scope-
2 Requirements Clarity CRITICAL req-
3 Prioritization Frameworks HIGH prio-
4 Acceptance Criteria HIGH accept-
5 Stakeholder Alignment MEDIUM-HIGH stake-
6 Technical Specification MEDIUM tech-
7 Change Management MEDIUM change-
8 Documentation Standards LOW doc-

Quick Reference

1. Scope Definition (CRITICAL)

  • scope-define-boundaries - Define explicit scope boundaries
  • scope-document-assumptions - Document all assumptions explicitly
  • scope-work-breakdown - Break scope into measurable work items
  • scope-define-mvp - Define MVP before full feature set
  • scope-stakeholder-signoff - Get stakeholder signoff on scope

2. Requirements Clarity (CRITICAL)

  • req-specific-measurable - Write specific, measurable requirements
  • req-user-stories - Structure requirements as user stories
  • req-avoid-solution-language - Avoid solution-specific language
  • req-functional-nonfunctional - Separate functional and non-functional
  • req-consistent-terminology - Use consistent terminology
  • req-traceability - Maintain requirements traceability

3. Prioritization Frameworks (HIGH)

  • prio-moscow-method - Use MoSCoW prioritization method
  • prio-rice-scoring - Apply RICE scoring for objectivity
  • prio-value-vs-effort - Map value vs effort explicitly
  • prio-dependencies-first - Identify and order dependencies
  • prio-kano-model - Apply Kano model for feature classification

4. Acceptance Criteria (HIGH)

  • accept-given-when-then - Use Given-When-Then format
  • accept-testable-criteria - Write testable acceptance criteria
  • accept-edge-cases - Include edge cases in acceptance
  • accept-definition-of-done - Define clear definition of done
  • accept-avoid-over-specification - Avoid over-specification

5. Stakeholder Alignment (MEDIUM-HIGH)

  • stake-identify-stakeholders - Identify all stakeholders early
  • stake-early-feedback - Gather feedback early and often
  • stake-conflict-resolution - Resolve conflicts explicitly
  • stake-communication-plan - Establish communication cadence
  • stake-success-metrics - Align on success metrics

6. Technical Specification (MEDIUM)

  • tech-system-context - Document system context and dependencies
  • tech-api-contracts - Define API contracts before implementation
  • tech-data-model - Specify data models and schema changes
  • tech-error-handling - Plan error handling and recovery
  • tech-performance-requirements - Specify performance requirements
  • tech-security-considerations - Document security considerations

7. Change Management (MEDIUM)

  • change-formal-process - Use formal change request process
  • change-impact-assessment - Assess full impact before approval
  • change-version-tracking - Version all specification documents
  • change-scope-freeze - Implement scope freeze periods
  • change-defer-log - Maintain deferred items log

8. Documentation Standards (LOW)

  • doc-single-source - Maintain single source of truth
  • doc-consistent-templates - Use consistent document templates
  • doc-decision-records - Document key decisions with context
  • doc-accessible-format - Keep documentation accessible
  • doc-glossary-terms - Define project terminology
how to use feature-spec

How to use feature-spec on Cursor

AI-first code editor with Composer

1

Prerequisites

Before installing skills in Cursor, ensure your development environment meets these requirements:

  • ›Cursor installed and configured on your development machine
  • ›Node.js version 16.0+ with npm package manager (verify with node --version)
  • ›Active project directory or workspace where you want to add feature-spec
2

Execute installation command

Execute the skills CLI command in your project's root directory to begin installation:

$npx skills add https://github.com/pproenca/dot-skills --skill feature-spec

The skills CLI fetches feature-spec from GitHub repository pproenca/dot-skills and configures it for Cursor.

3

Select Cursor when prompted

The CLI will show a list of available agents. Use arrow keys to navigate and space to select Cursor:

◆ Which agents do you want to install to?
│
│ ── Universal (.agents/skills) ── always included ────
│ • Amp
│ • Antigravity
│ • Cline
│ • Codex
│ ●Cursor(selected)
│ • Cursor
│ • Windsurf
4

Verify installation

Confirm successful installation by checking the skill directory location:

.cursor/skills/feature-spec

Reload or restart Cursor to activate feature-spec. Access the skill through slash commands (e.g., /feature-spec) or your agent's skill management interface.

⚠

Security & Verification Notice

We perform automated surface-level scans (Gen AI Scanner, Socket, Snyk) during installation. These checks detect common vulnerabilities but do not guarantee complete security. Always review skill source code and verify the publisher's reputation before production use.

Skills execute code in your development environment. Always verify the publisher's identity, review recent commits, and test in isolated environments before production deployment.

Additional Resources

›View source code on GitHub›Skills CLI documentation›Learn more about Cursor›What are agent skills?

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Use Cases▌

User Story & Requirements Generation

Create detailed user stories, acceptance criteria, and feature specs

Example

Generate user stories for 'password reset feature' with acceptance criteria, edge cases, and test scenarios

✓

Reduce spec writing time by 50%, ensure comprehensive coverage

Competitive Analysis

Research competitors, compare features, identify gaps

Example

Analyze 5 competitor products, create feature comparison matrix, suggest differentiation opportunities

✓

Complete competitive research in 2 hours instead of 2 days

Roadmap Prioritization

Evaluate features using frameworks (RICE, ICE, Kano) and create prioritized backlogs

Example

Score 20 feature ideas using RICE framework, generate prioritized roadmap with rationale

✓

Make data-driven prioritization decisions faster

Stakeholder Communication

Draft PRDs, status updates, and stakeholder presentations

Example

Create executive summary of Q3 roadmap, monthly progress report, feature launch announcement

✓

Save 3-5 hours/week on communication overhead

Implementation Guide▌

Prerequisites

  • ›Claude Desktop or compatible AI client
  • ›Access to product documentation and roadmap tools (Jira, Notion, etc.)
  • ›Understanding of product management frameworks (RICE, Jobs-to-be-Done, etc.)
  • ›Stakeholder contact information and communication channels

Time Estimate

30-60 minutes to see productivity improvements

Installation Steps

  1. 1.Install product management skill
  2. 2.Start with user story generation for known feature
  3. 3.Progress to competitive analysis: research 2-3 competitors
  4. 4.Use for roadmap prioritization: apply RICE/ICE scoring
  5. 5.Draft stakeholder communications and refine based on feedback
  6. 6.Build template library for recurring PM tasks
  7. 7.Share effective prompts with product team

Common Pitfalls

  • ⚠Not validating competitive research—verify facts before sharing
  • ⚠Accepting user stories without involving engineering team
  • ⚠Over-relying on frameworks without qualitative judgment
  • ⚠Not customizing outputs to company culture and communication style
  • ⚠Skipping stakeholder validation of generated requirements

Best Practices▌

✓ Do

  • +Validate research and competitive analysis with real data
  • +Collaborate with engineering when generating technical requirements
  • +Customize frameworks and templates to your company context
  • +Use skill for first drafts, refine with stakeholder input
  • +Document successful prompt patterns for PM tasks
  • +Combine AI efficiency with human judgment and intuition

✗ Don't

  • −Don't publish competitive analysis without fact-checking
  • −Don't finalize user stories without engineering review
  • −Don't make prioritization decisions solely on AI scoring
  • −Don't skip customer validation of generated requirements
  • −Don't ignore company-specific context and culture

💡 Pro Tips

  • ★Provide context: company goals, constraints, customer feedback
  • ★Ask for alternatives: 'Show 3 ways to prioritize this roadmap'
  • ★Request stakeholder-specific formatting: 'Executive summary vs. engineering spec'
  • ★Use skill for 70% generation + 30% customization to company needs

When to Use This▌

✓ Use When

Use for user story writing, competitive research, roadmap prioritization, stakeholder communication, and PRD drafting. Best for reducing repetitive documentation and research work.

✗ Avoid When

Avoid for strategic product vision (requires deep customer empathy), pricing decisions (needs market and financial expertise), or when face-to-face customer discovery is more valuable than speed.

Learning Path▌

  1. 1Basic: user stories, feature specs, status updates
  2. 2Intermediate: competitive analysis, prioritization frameworks, PRDs
  3. 3Advanced: product strategy, go-to-market planning, OKR setting
  4. 4Expert: product vision, market positioning, business model innovation

Discussion

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general reviews

Ratings

4.5★★★★★33 reviews
  • ★★★★★Chaitanya Patil· Dec 28, 2024

    We added feature-spec from the explainx registry; install was straightforward and the SKILL.md answered most questions upfront.

  • ★★★★★Noor Gill· Dec 20, 2024

    I recommend feature-spec for anyone iterating fast on agent tooling; clear intent and a small, reviewable surface area.

  • ★★★★★Lucas Garcia· Dec 16, 2024

    feature-spec reduced setup friction for our internal harness; good balance of opinion and flexibility.

  • ★★★★★Maya Kim· Dec 12, 2024

    feature-spec fits our agent workflows well — practical, well scoped, and easy to wire into existing repos.

  • ★★★★★Jin Desai· Dec 8, 2024

    Keeps context tight: feature-spec is the kind of skill you can hand to a new teammate without a long onboarding doc.

  • ★★★★★Piyush G· Nov 19, 2024

    Useful defaults in feature-spec — fewer surprises than typical one-off scripts, and it plays nicely with `npx skills` flows.

  • ★★★★★Sophia Anderson· Nov 7, 2024

    Registry listing for feature-spec matched our evaluation — installs cleanly and behaves as described in the markdown.

  • ★★★★★Kiara Abbas· Nov 3, 2024

    feature-spec is among the better-maintained entries we tried; worth keeping pinned for repeat workflows.

  • ★★★★★Min Sanchez· Oct 22, 2024

    Solid pick for teams standardizing on skills: feature-spec is focused, and the summary matches what you get after install.

  • ★★★★★Noor Mensah· Oct 22, 2024

    Useful defaults in feature-spec — fewer surprises than typical one-off scripts, and it plays nicely with `npx skills` flows.

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