Breaking down product requirements into clear, actionable software requirements is a crucial step in delivering software that truly meets customer needs. This process helps engineers and teams stay focused on solving the right problems with well-defined features and behaviors. Here’s a practical approach to breaking down requirements effectively.

1. Identify the problem: Understand the core problem the product aims to solve to keep software requirements targeted.
   Example: For an automotive infotainment system, the problem might be "provide drivers with seamless voice-controlled navigation."
2. Define the goals and objectives: Set clear goals aligned with solving the identified problem and meeting customer expectations.
   Example: Increase driver safety by reducing manual navigation inputs by 50%.
3. Identify the functional requirements: Specify features and capabilities the software must have to meet goals.
   Example: Support voice recognition for destination input and provide turn-by-turn guidance.
4. Identify the non-functional requirements: Describe how the software should perform or behave beyond functionality.
   Example: The system should respond to voice commands within 2 seconds and operate reliably in noisy environments.
5. Define acceptance criteria: Set specific conditions that must be met for a requirement to be considered complete.
   Example: For voice recognition, acceptance criteria might include "90% command recognition accuracy during testing."
6. Define the user stories: Write short, user-focused descriptions of features from the end-user perspective.
   Example: "As a driver, I want to set my destination by voice so I can keep my hands on the wheel."

Following this approach ensures that software requirements are clear, measurable, and aligned with customer needs—key to building high-quality, user-centered software.