We’ve been getting a lot of great questions about ORWL, which has helped us flesh out the ORWL wiki. Of particular interest are two new documents: the product requirements document (PRD) and the datasheet.

Product Requirements Document

A product requirements document (PRD) is an embodiment of the often conflicting interests of the designer, manufacturer, and end user, ensuring that everyone is on the same page. Nearly every mass-produced electronics project starts with a PRD, which serves as the single source of truth for all parties working to bring the product to life. PRDs often include proprietary information and are rarely exposed to public scrutiny. For the sake of transparency and soliciting feedback, we’re happy to share our PRD. You can download the ORWL product requirement document directly from our wiki. The only difference between this public-facing PRD and our internal PRD is that personal contact information has been redacted.

A PRD evolves as product development progresses. After a lot of back and forth, all parties eventually agree on a single version, which is anointed version 1.0 and is referenced in purchase orders and the like. Changes in the PRD, say from 1.0 to 1.01, require the agreement of all parties. As you can see, ORWL’s PRD is at version 0.61, which means it has undergone many major revisions. Any revisions between now and the 1.0 milestone will largely be refinements to what is already in place.

Datasheet

In contrast to the 56-page PRD, the four-page ORWL datasheet provides a simple overview of ORWL’s technical specifications and available configurations.

Tell Us What You Think

Thanks again to everyone for their questions and interest. Feel free to contact us with any questions, suggestions, or other feedback.