Note: This is a template for temporary Q&A planning documents. Copy this file and fill in the details for your specific feature discussion.

Q&A Session: {Feature Name} - Iteration {N}¶

Session Metadata¶

Date: YYYY-MM-DD
Iteration: 1 (Discovery | Requirements | Technical)
Participants: [Names or "System + User"]
Goal: [What we're trying to clarify in this iteration]
Previous Session: [Link to previous iteration if applicable]

Summary from Previous Iteration¶

Only include if iteration > 1. Summarize key decisions and answers from previous session.

[Previous decisions and context]

Current Iteration Focus¶

Iteration 1: Discovery (Scope & Users)¶

Use this section for initial feature exploration

Q1: Who are the primary users of this feature?¶

Context: Understanding the target audience helps shape the feature design and priorities.

Options:

Your answer: [Describe the primary users and their characteristics]

Follow-up notes: [Any additional context about user needs or constraints]

Q2: What specific problem does this feature solve?¶

Context: Clear problem definition ensures we're building the right solution.

Your answer: [Describe the problem in detail, including current pain points]

Impact if not solved: [What happens if we don't address this?]

Q3: What does success look like for this feature?¶

Context: Defining success criteria helps measure feature effectiveness.

Success metrics:

User adoption rate of X%
Performance improvement of Y%
Reduction in support tickets by Z%
Other (specify below)

Your answer: [Define specific, measurable success criteria]

Q4: What is the MVP scope vs. future enhancements?¶

Context: Distinguishing MVP from nice-to-haves helps prioritize development.

MVP must include:

[Core functionality 1]
[Core functionality 2]
[Core functionality 3]

Future enhancements:

[Enhancement 1]
[Enhancement 2]
[Enhancement 3]

Your answer: [Clearly delineate MVP scope]

Iteration 2: Requirements (Acceptance Criteria)¶

Use this section for detailed requirements gathering

Q5: What are the functional requirements?¶

Context: Specific functional requirements guide implementation.

Requirements:

Requirement 1: [Description]
Requirement 2: [Description]
Requirement 3: [Description]

Your answer: [List all functional requirements with acceptance criteria]

Q6: What are the non-functional requirements?¶

Context: Performance, security, and quality requirements are critical for production readiness.

Categories:

Performance: [Response time, throughput]
Security: [Authentication, authorization, data protection]
Scalability: [User limits, data volumes]
Availability: [Uptime requirements]
Compatibility: [Browser, API versions]

Your answer: [Specify NFRs with measurable targets]

Q7: What are the dependencies and constraints?¶

Context: Understanding dependencies helps identify risks and blockers.

Dependencies:

External APIs or services
Other features or teams
Infrastructure changes
Data migrations

Constraints:

Timeline constraints
Budget constraints
Technical constraints
Regulatory constraints

Your answer: [List all dependencies and constraints]

Iteration 3: Technical (Implementation)¶

Use this section for technical design decisions

Q8: What is the proposed technical approach?¶

Context: High-level technical design guides development.

Architecture options:

Option A: [Description with pros/cons]
Option B: [Description with pros/cons]
Option C: [Description with pros/cons]

Your answer: [Describe chosen approach and rationale]

Q9: What are the main technical risks?¶

Context: Identifying risks early allows for mitigation planning.

Risk categories:

Performance risks: [Description]
Integration risks: [Description]
Data risks: [Description]
Security risks: [Description]

Your answer: [List risks with mitigation strategies]

Q10: What are the edge cases and error scenarios?¶

Context: Comprehensive error handling improves reliability.

Edge cases to consider:

Your answer: [Describe edge cases and handling strategies]

Ambiguities and Open Questions¶

Ambiguities Identified¶

Ambiguity 1: [Description of unclear requirement or decision]
Impact: [Why this needs clarification]
Options: [Possible interpretations]
Ambiguity 2: [Description]
Impact: [Why this matters]
Options: [Alternatives]

Questions for Team Discussion¶

[Question requiring team input]
[Question requiring architectural decision]
[Question requiring product owner decision]

Decisions Made¶

Confirmed Decisions¶

✅ Decision 1: [What was decided and why]
✅ Decision 2: [What was decided and why]
✅ Decision 3: [What was decided and why]

Deferred Decisions¶

⏸️ Decision A: [What needs more information]
Blocking: [What this blocks]
Needed by: [Date]

Next Steps¶

Immediate Actions¶

Create Feature Brief based on Q&A outcomes
Schedule next Q&A iteration for [topic]
Research [specific technical question]
Get stakeholder approval on [decision]

Follow-up Items¶

Document decisions in ADR if architectural
Update product backlog with requirements
Create technical spike for [investigation]
Share findings with team

References¶

External Documentation¶

Link to relevant external docs (e.g., docs/sources/...)
API documentation (URL)
Technical standard (URL)

Related Feature 1 (e.g., docs/features/...)
Similar implementation (e.g., docs/decisions/ADR-...)

LLM Prompts for Next Iteration¶

For Discovery Phase¶

Based on the feature description: [feature summary], generate 5-7 clarifying questions to help refine:
- User personas and specific use cases
- Core problems being solved
- Success criteria and KPIs
- MVP scope vs. future phases
- Potential risks and constraints

For Requirements Phase¶

Based on the discovery findings: [discovery summary], generate detailed questions about:
- Specific functional requirements with acceptance criteria
- Non-functional requirements (performance, security, scalability)
- Integration points and dependencies
- Data requirements and migrations
- Compliance and regulatory considerations

For Technical Phase¶

Based on the requirements: [requirements summary], generate technical design questions covering:
- Architecture patterns and technology choices
- API design and data models
- Security implementation
- Performance optimization strategies
- Testing approach and deployment considerations

Note: This template supports iterative refinement. Not all sections need to be completed in a single session. Focus on the iteration stage that matches your current phase of feature planning.