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Specify Requirements

Community
rsmdt
specify-requirements

Create and validate product requirements documents (PRD). Use when writing requirements, defining user stories, specifying acceptance criteria, analyzing user needs, or working on requirements.md files in .start/specs/.

Overview

Publisherrsmdt
Repositorythe-startup
Skill namespecify-requirements
Stars
564
Forks
71
Bundled files
7
LicenseMIT
Links
  • Markdown instructions

    A SKILL.md file the model loads on demand, so it only costs tokens when a request actually matches.

  • Works with any LLM

    AI skills are plain Markdown, not provider-specific code, so this works with GPT, Claude, Gemini, Grok, or a local model.

  • 7 bundled files

    Scripts, templates, and references the model can read while it works. Files are read-only and never executed.

  • Open source

    Published by rsmdt on GitHub. Read the source before you install it.

Installation

Install the Specify Requirements AI skill in TypingMind to use it with any LLM, or drop it into another agent that reads SKILL.md.

1

Install in TypingMind

TypingMind installs a skill straight from its GitHub folder — it reads SKILL.md, bundles the resource files, and stores the result locally.

  1. Open the app and go to Plugins → Skills.
  2. Choose "Install from GitHub".
  3. Paste the skill folder URL below and confirm.
    https://github.com/rsmdt/the-startup/tree/main/plugins/start/skills/specify-requirements
  4. Enable the skill in any chat where you want it available.
Plugins → Skills → Add skill → From GitHub URL, then paste the folder URL and press Continue.
2

Install in another agent

Any agent that reads the Agent Skills format can use this skill — copy the folder into that agent's skills directory.

Claude Code — .claude/skills
git clone --depth 1 https://github.com/rsmdt/the-startup.git /tmp/the-startup
mkdir -p .claude/skills
cp -r /tmp/the-startup/plugins/start/skills/specify-requirements .claude/skills/specify-requirements
Restart Claude Code after copying so it picks up the new skill.

Use it in TypingMind

Enable Specify Requirements in any TypingMind chat and the model takes it from there. Its name and description sit in the system prompt, and the moment a request matches, the model loads the full instructions itself — you never invoke it by hand, and it costs no tokens until it is actually used.

The model loads Specify Requirements on its own as soon as a request matches it.

Works with any AI model

AI skills are plain Markdown instructions rather than provider-specific code, so Specify Requirements is not tied to the model it was written for. Install it once in TypingMind and use it with GPT-5, Claude, Gemini, Grok, DeepSeek, Mistral, Llama, or a local model you run yourself — all on your own API keys.

  • Loaded only when it is needed

    The system prompt carries just the name and description. The instructions are fetched on the first matching request, so an idle skill costs nothing.

  • Switch models mid-chat

    Because the skill is instructions rather than code, changing model does not break it — the next model reads the same SKILL.md.

Skill instructions

This is the SKILL.md content the model loads. Read it before installing — a skill is instructions your model will follow.

Persona

Act as a product requirements specialist that creates and validates PRDs focusing on WHAT needs to be built and WHY it matters.

Spec Target: $ARGUMENTS

Interface

PRDSection { name: string status: Complete | NeedsInput | InProgress topic?: string // what needs clarification, if NeedsInput }

State { specId = "" sections: PRDSection[] clarificationMarkers: number }

Constraints

Always:

  • Use template.md structure exactly — preserve all sections as defined.
  • Follow iterative cycle: discover → document → review per section.
  • Present ALL agent findings to user — complete responses, not summaries.
  • Wait for user confirmation before proceeding to the next cycle.
  • Run validation checklist before declaring PRD complete.
  • Verify MECE after completing each enumerated section (personas, journeys, features, acceptance criteria).

Never:

  • Include technical implementation details — no code, architecture, or database design.
  • Include API specifications — belongs in SDD.
  • Skip the multi-angle validation before completing.
  • Remove or reorganize template sections.
  • Write overlapping user stories — if two stories describe the same capability, merge them.
  • Leave coverage gaps — if a persona has no journey, or a feature has no acceptance criteria, flag it.

Reference Materials

  • Focus and MECE — PRD focus areas and MECE rules for personas, journeys, features, acceptance criteria
  • Template — PRD template structure, write to .start/specs/[NNN]-[name]/requirements.md
  • Validation — Complete validation checklist, completion criteria
  • Output Format — Status report guidelines, multi-angle final validation
  • Output Example — Concrete example of expected output format
  • Examples — Well-structured PRD reference

Workflow

0. Brainstorm

Use the brainstorm skill to probe the user's idea before template filling.

Focus on understanding:

  • What problem this solves and for whom.
  • Key constraints and success criteria.
  • Scope boundaries — what's in and what's out.

Output feeds into the discover/document cycle with clearer context.

1. Discover

Identify gaps between what is known and what template.md requires for the current section.

Launch parallel agents for each gap:

  • Market analysis for competitive landscape.
  • User research for personas and journeys.
  • Requirements clarification for edge cases.

Consider relevant research areas, best practices, and success criteria.

2. Document

Update the PRD with findings for the current section:

  1. Apply findings to the section being processed.
  2. For each [NEEDS CLARIFICATION] marker, replace with findings content.

Focus only on the current section being processed. Preserve template.md structure exactly.

3. Review

Present ALL agent findings to user, including:

  • Conflicting information or recommendations.
  • Questions needing clarification.

Ask the user to choose between Approve section, Clarify [topic], or Redo discovery.

4. Validate

Read validation.md and run the checklist. Read reference/output-format.md and run multi-angle validation.

If clarificationMarkers > 0: return to step 2 (Discover) for remaining markers. If clarificationMarkers = 0: report status per reference/output-format.md.

Entry Point

Read reference/focus-and-mece.md for the four PRD dimensions (WHAT/WHY/WHO/WHEN) and MECE rules. Then execute step 0 (Brainstorm), then repeat steps 1 through 3 for each section in template.md, then execute step 4 (Validate).

Bundled files

The model reads these on demand while the skill is loaded. They are exposed as readable files and are never executed.

Frequently asked questions

What does the Specify Requirements AI skill do?

Create and validate product requirements documents (PRD). Use when writing requirements, defining user stories, specifying acceptance criteria, analyzing user needs, or working on requirements.md files in .start/specs/.

Why use Specify Requirements on TypingMind?

Because you install it once and use it with any model. Specify Requirements is plain Markdown rather than provider-specific code, so the same skill runs on GPT-5, Claude, Gemini, Grok, or a local model — and you can switch model mid-chat without it breaking. TypingMind runs on your own API keys, so you pay providers directly instead of a per-seat subscription, and your skills and chats stay in your own storage.

How do I install Specify Requirements in TypingMind?

Open Plugins → Skills → Install from GitHub in TypingMind and paste https://github.com/rsmdt/the-startup/tree/main/plugins/start/skills/specify-requirements. TypingMind reads its SKILL.md and bundles its files and installs it as a skill you can enable per chat.

Which AI models can use Specify Requirements?

Any model you connect in TypingMind. AI skills are plain Markdown instructions rather than provider-specific code, so GPT, Claude, Gemini, Grok, and local models can all load this skill when a request matches it.

How many AI models can I use with Specify Requirements?

As many as you like. As long as a model supports skills, you can use Specify Requirements with it — GPT, Claude, Gemini, Grok, DeepSeek, Mistral, Llama and more — all on TypingMind with your own API keys.

Is the Specify Requirements AI skill free?

Yes. It is published on GitHub by rsmdt under the MIT license. You only pay your own AI provider for the tokens you use.

What are AI skills?

An AI skill is a reusable instruction bundle that teaches an AI model how to do one specific task. It follows the open Agent Skills format: a SKILL.md file with a name and description, plus any scripts, templates or reference files the model may need. The model reads the instructions only when your request matches the skill, so an installed skill costs nothing until it is used.

How are AI skills different from plugins or MCP servers?

A plugin or MCP server gives a model new tools to call — code that runs somewhere and returns a result. An AI skill gives the model knowledge and process instead: how to approach a task, which steps to follow, what good output looks like. Skills are plain Markdown, so they need no server, no API key and no runtime, and they work with any model.

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