# Requirements Document

**Template, version 1.** How to use it: fill in every section; write "none" rather than leaving blanks. Short is fine, vague is not. This document plus the [done-test](https://mangrove.co.uk/done-test) is what a fixed price is quoted against; the sharper they are, the lower the shaping cost (a fully done-test-ready pack can take it to zero).

## 1. The product in one paragraph

What it is, who it is for, and what changes for them when it exists.

## 2. Goals and non-goals

- **Goals:** the two or three outcomes this build must achieve.
- **Non-goals:** what this build deliberately does not attempt. Non-goals prevent scope drift better than any meeting.

## 3. Users and surfaces

Who uses it (roles, not personas essays) and where (web, mobile, admin, API consumers).

## 4. Scope

| In this build | Out (explicitly) | Later (parked) |
|---|---|---|
| | | |

One row per feature, in plain language. Anything not written here is out.

## 5. Assumptions

List every assumption you are making. Each one moves the price when it turns out false, so surfacing them now is money.

## 6. What you will provide, and by when

| Input (content, access, approvals, third-party sign-offs) | Needed by |
|---|---|
| | |

These become named dependencies in the done-test. Work blocked on a missing input pauses the clock; it does not fail the build.

## 7. Integrations and data

Systems to connect to, data in and out, who owns each source, and any migration from existing systems.

## 8. Constraints

- **Regulatory and compliance:** GDPR posture, sector rules, audit requirements, data residency.
- **Technical:** required stack, hosting, existing systems that must be respected.
- **Commercial:** budget band, hard dates and what drives them.

## 9. Run economics

For anything with a material running cost (AI features, third-party APIs, data volumes): expected volumes and the unit cost that must hold at those volumes. A feature that works but is uneconomic to run is a failed feature; this section is where that gets caught before it is built.

## 10. What success looks like

Two or three measurable statements about the world after launch. These seed the done-test.