Colin Bryar

Working Backwards

1. IDEA 1

   Start with the customer

   Bryar and Carr, two former Amazon executives, explain how the company works backwards from customer needs. Instead of starting with an idea or technology, teams begin by imagining the customer experience and then decide what to build.

2. IDEA 2

   Write the press release first

   Amazon teams write a PR/FAQ, a mock press release and set of questions, before building a product. This forces clarity about customer benefits. The authors say that if the team cannot write an exciting press release, the product probably needs more thought.

3. IDEA 3

   Narratives replace slides

   Amazon replaced slide presentations with six-page written narratives, read silently at the start of meetings. Writing forces clear thinking. The authors say this gives everyone time to read and think, so the discussion that follows is better informed.

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