---
user-invocable: true
name: working-backwards
description: Bezos's Amazon method - start from the customer and work backwards
tokens: ~300
cloud-ok: true
---

# Working Backwards
#claudeai

## The Framework

Before building anything, write the press release announcing it. Then work backwards to make it real.

This is how Amazon develops products. It forces clarity on:
- Who is the customer?
- What's the benefit to them?
- Why should they care?

## How to Use

### Step 1: Write the press release
Imagine the product is done. Write the announcement.

### Step 2: Write the FAQ
Answer the hard questions customers and stakeholders will ask.

### Step 3: Evaluate honestly
Is this compelling? Would YOU be excited as a customer?

### Step 4: Iterate or kill
If the press release isn't exciting, the product won't be either. Fix it or don't build it.

## Press Release Template

```
## [Product Name] - [Tagline]

**[City, Date]** — [Company] today announced [product], a [brief description] that [key benefit].

[Customer problem paragraph: What pain exists today?]

"[Quote from leader about why this matters]"

[How it works paragraph: What the product does, simply explained]

[Customer quote: Real or imagined customer explaining why they love it]

**Getting Started**
[How customers can use it]

**About [Company]**
[Boilerplate]
```

## FAQ Template

Answer these honestly:

**Customer questions:**
- Why should I care?
- How is this different from [alternative]?
- What does it cost?
- How hard is it to switch/start?

**Internal questions:**
- Why will this succeed where others failed?
- What's the hardest part to build?
- Why now?
- What has to be true for this to work?

**Skeptic questions:**
- What if customers don't want this?
- What if competitors copy it?
- What's the biggest risk?

## Output Format

```
## Working Backwards: [Product/Feature]

### Press Release
[Full press release using template]

### FAQ
**Q: [Question]**
A: [Honest answer]

**Q: [Question]**
A: [Honest answer]

### Evaluation
- Is this exciting? [Yes/No - why]
- Would I use this? [Yes/No - why]
- Is the benefit clear? [Yes/No - why]

### Decision
[BUILD / ITERATE / KILL]

### If building, next step:
[What to do first]
```

## Why It Works

- **Forces customer thinking first** - Not "what can we build?" but "what do customers need?"
- **Exposes weak ideas early** - If you can't write a compelling PR, it's not compelling
- **Creates alignment** - Everyone sees the same vision
- **Cheaper than building** - Words are cheaper than code

---

*"We start with the customer and work backwards."* — Jeff Bezos