The Amazon Way: How Working Backwards with Press Releases Creates Product Clarity
- Pragya Singh
- May 10
- 4 min read
When Amazon decided to build AWS, they didn't start with technical specifications or market analyses. Instead, they wrote a press release announcing the finished product to the world. This wasn't a PR exercise, it was their actual product development process.
The team crafted a hypothetical press release for a service that didn't exist yet, describing the customer problem, how AWS would solve it, and why customers would find it valuable.
This forced them to articulate exactly what would make the product successful in the eyes of customers.
Only after refining this press release until it was compelling did they begin building the actual product. The result? AWS became one of the most transformative and profitable technology platforms in history, generating $80+ billion in annual revenue.
This approach, known as "Working Backwards," has been used at Amazon to develop everything from Kindle to Alexa to Prime. And the beauty is, it works just as well for startups and small teams as it does for tech giants.
The Problem With Traditional Product Development
Most product development starts with a solution in mind. Someone has an idea for a cool feature or technology, and the team rushes to build it. Only later do they try to figure out how to explain it to customers and sometimes discover no one actually wants it.
This leads to:
Products that solve problems customers don't have
Features that look impressive but create little value
Marketing messages disconnected from actual customer needs
Internal misalignment about what success looks like
The "Working Backwards" Process
Amazon's process flips traditional product development on its head with a simple yet profound approach:
Write the Press Release First - Before writing a single line of code or building any prototypes
Focus on Customer Value - Not technology or implementation details
Refine Until Compelling - If you can't write an exciting press release, the product idea isn't ready
Build According to the Promise - Use the press release as your North Star during development
Why This Approach Is Awesome!
The "Working Backwards" method works because it:
Forces Customer Centricity - You must articulate the value to customers before anything else
Creates Alignment - Everyone understands what success looks like from day one
Simplifies Decision Making - When in doubt, refer back to the press release
Prevents Feature Creep - If it wasn't in the press release, it probably isn't essential
Improves Communication - Complex ideas must be simplified to their essence
Real-World Example: The Kindle Press Release
Before a single Kindle was manufactured, Amazon wrote a press release highlighting:
The customer problem: Carrying physical books is inconvenient
The solution: An easy-to-use device that can hold thousands of books
The customer benefit: Instant access to more books than ever before
The differentiator: Wireless delivery without needing a computer
This clarity guided every development decision. When engineers wanted to add complex features, the team would ask, "Does this help deliver on the press release?" If not, they cut it.
How to Implement This at Your Company
Even if you're not at Amazon, you can adopt this approach:
Step 1: Schedule a Press Release Workshop
Gather key stakeholders from product, engineering, marketing, and sales.
Step 2: Draft Your Press Release
Use the template below to craft your release:
HEADING: [Product Name] Announces [Key Benefit]
SUBHEADING: [Secondary Benefit or Feature]
CITY, DATE — Today, [Company Name] announced [Product Name], a new [product category] that [primary benefit statement]. Now, [customer type] can [key capability] without [pain point].
"[Customer quote expressing excitement about the product and how it solves their problem]," said [fictional customer name, role and company].
[Product Name] addresses the long-standing problem of [problem statement]. Unlike [current solutions], [Product Name] provides [key differentiator]. The product will be available starting [date] at a price of [price point].
"[Quote from company spokesperson about why this product is important]," said [Executive Name, Title at Company]. "[Additional statement about company vision]."
To start using [Product Name], customers simply [how to get started].
For more information, visit [URL].
Step 3: Test and Refine
Share the press release with people who match your target customer profile. If they aren't excited, revise until they are.
Step 4: Build the FAQs
After the press release, create an FAQ document addressing:
Technical questions about implementation
Business questions about pricing and distribution
Customer questions about usage and benefits
Step 5: Use It as Your North Star
Reference the press release throughout development to maintain focus on what really matters.
The Magic of Thinking Backwards
The power of Amazon's approach comes from its reversal of traditional thinking. By starting with the end result (how you'll announce the finished product to customers), you:
Clarify your thinking about what success looks like
Force articulation of customer value before technical details
Create a shared vision that aligns cross-functional teams
As Andy Jassy, now Amazon's CEO, explains: "Working backwards from the customer is the only way we know how to work."
Common Pitfalls and How to Avoid Them
Technical Details Creeping In
If your press release talks about your brilliant architecture or elegant code, you're doing it wrong. Focus solely on customer benefits.
Vague Benefits
Statements like "users will love the intuitive interface" are too vague. Instead, describe specifically how the product will improve customers' lives.
Premature Scaling
Don't move to building until your press release genuinely excites potential customers.
Skipping the Hard Questions
Use the FAQ process to address difficult questions about feasibility, not just to reinforce the press release.
Conclusion
Amazon's "Working Backwards" process has helped create some of the most successful products of our time. By starting with a press release that focuses relentlessly on customer value, you force clarity and alignment from the very beginning of product development.
At the Open Product Foundation, we believe this type of structured approach to product development should be available to everyone, not just those who've worked at tech giants.
Our complete Product Lifecycle Checklist incorporates this press release method along with other proven frameworks to help product teams build with clarity and purpose.
Want to learn more? Check out our comprehensive Product Lifecycle Checklist or join our community of product leaders who are all working to build better products through structured approaches.
This post is part of our Product Fundamentals series from the Open Product Foundation. Our mission is to make product excellence accessible to everyone through free, open tools and frameworks.
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