Working Backwards: Start with the Press Release

WHY IT EXISTS Traditional business planning tools like SWOT analysis or market sizing reports don't force deep thinking about customer needs. Amazon created this process to ensure its "Customer Obsession" principle was the starting point for all new product development, not an afterthought.

THE MENTAL MODEL Instead of building a product and then figuring out how to market it, you define the ideal customer experience first and work backwards from there. The process forces you to achieve clarity of thought by writing a press release and FAQ for a product that doesn't exist yet.

HOW IT WORKS The process starts by writing a press release as if the product is already launched. This document is laser-focused on the customer: who are they, what problem do they have, and how does this new product solve it compellingly? After the press release is refined, you write two sets of FAQs. One is from the customer's perspective (e.g., "How much does it cost?"), and the other is from internal stakeholders (e.g., "How will this be staffed?"). This exercise forces the team to think through the execution details required to make the vision a reality.

WHEN TO USE IT Use this process to vet any significant new product or feature idea. It's most valuable before substantial resources are committed, acting as a forcing function to gain clarity and ensure alignment around the customer's needs, not just the team's existing capabilities or a competitor's actions.

WHEN NOT TO USE IT The full PR/FAQ process can be overkill for small, iterative improvements or bug fixes where the customer problem and solution are already well-understood. It is a tool for innovation and new initiatives, not routine maintenance. The biggest mistake is thinking your product is for "everyone"; great products are tailored to a specific customer segment.

ONE CANONICAL EXAMPLE Most major Amazon initiatives since 2004, including Amazon Web Services (AWS), were created using this process. Before building AWS, a PR/FAQ was written that defined the target customer (developers), their problem (the high cost and complexity of provisioning server infrastructure), and the solution: a reliable, scalable, on-demand infrastructure service. This document clarified the vision and guided subsequent development.