One of the most common struggles for anyone starting a new app is this: “How do I decide which features to include? I want to add this… and this… and maybe that too?”
Feature selection is harder than it looks. And when many competing apps already exist, you also have to consider what makes your app different.
That’s why the “Features” section of a PRD (Product Requirements Document) is not a feature wishlist. It is a space to define why certain features matter, their priority, and how they differentiate your product from competitors.
Why Feature Design Feels So Difficult
Beginners repeatedly fall into the same trap: “If we add more features, the app becomes better, right?”
So they keep adding:
- “Competitors have this feature…”
- “Wouldn’t it be nice to include this too?”
- “Maybe this is essential as well?”
As the list grows, the original problem becomes diluted, and the MVP collapses.
And ironically, the more you try to “add differentiation,” the more cluttered the product becomes.
But true differentiation doesn’t come from more features — it comes from the criteria you use to choose them.
HowToWritePRD Doesn’t Generate Features for You
Our AI is not a “feature generator.” It plays a more important role:
It guides you to uncover your core features — and your differentiation — by asking structured questions.
When you enter your idea, the AI doesn’t immediately list features.
Instead, it asks:
- “What core problem is this idea trying to solve?”
- “Who experiences that problem most strongly?”
- “If you had to choose only essential features, which ones matter?”
And then comes the key question: “Compared to similar apps, what unique value or approach does your app offer?”
This single question changes how founders think about features.
Features stop being “nice-to-have additions” and become your unique way of solving the problem.
Follow the Questions, and Features Organize Themselves
Suppose a user says: “I want to build an app that manages workout routines. But there are so many similar apps already…”
The AI responds with questions like:
1️⃣ “When is it hardest for someone to stay consistent with workouts?” → Reveals the real problem
2️⃣ “What does the user need most in that moment?” → Clarifies the core experience
3️⃣ “What are existing apps failing to solve effectively?” → Competitive insight
4️⃣ “What features fill that gap in a simple, meaningful way?” → Differentiation-based feature decisions
This isn’t a feature-reduction exercise. It’s discovering your product’s unique flow.
Feature Selection = Problem Solving + Differentiation
A strong PRD defines features based on two axes:
- Does this feature directly solve the user’s core problem?
- Does this feature express the product’s unique value compared to others?
For example, a routine tracking app may focus on:
- Fast and frictionless goal-setting
- A simple, intuitive logging experience (not over-designed like competitors)
- Minimal progress visualization that emphasizes consistency
- Core functionality without overwhelming charts, stats, or noise
This is true differentiation — and this is what howtowriteprd.com helps you articulate.
HowToWritePRD Filters Features and Reveals Differentiation
Many people expect an AI to “recommend features.” But real product strategy is not about adding features — it’s about removing the wrong ones.
The most important questions are:
- “Why is this necessary?”
- “Does this truly help the user solve their problem?”
- “What makes your product’s approach unique?”
HowToWritePRD asks these questions conversationally, leading you to discover the right features and the unique positioning behind them.
Conclusion — Feature Design Isn’t About Adding, It’s About Revealing
Choosing features isn’t hard. You just need the right questions.
Follow those questions, and the features:
- emerge naturally
- align with the problem
- differentiate your product
- fit neatly into the MVP
HowToWritePRD guides this process by asking the questions that uncover clarity.
If you want to choose the right features, just answer the questions — your PRD will organize itself:
Problem → User → Features → Differentiation → MVP
