

The single most important benefit of the working backwards method is that it effectively forces a product team to look at the product through a customer lens. It keeps the team focused on the customer experience. Here are some of the core benefits you could realize if you choose to give the Amazon method a shot: While it may feel counterintuitive to start a project at the end in this way, the results can actually be remarkable. The benefits of the Amazon working backwards method Finish up the press release by letting the reader know how to find out more or start using the product. Again, this brings the focus back to the customer.Ĭlosing and call to action. Break the cardinal rule, and knowingly invent a customer testimonial. Explain why it’s so easy to hit the ground running with this product.Ĭustomer quote. Create a fictional spokesperson and ask for a one-liner explaining why this product is a must-have. What is the specific problem this product exists to solve? As the name suggests, simply summarize what the product does along with its main benefit. What is the core benefit of the product in a single line? (This can be a tough one, but it’s a very powerful way of refining a product vision). This could be the product’s name, preferably framed in a way that makes it appealing to customers. Here’s the structure Allister suggested in his original post: Okay, so how does the “working backwards” press release help product teams to answer this question? Having a good sense of the target audience will ensure that teams don’t over-explain features that most customers wouldn’t be interested in anyway. That said, the product team should still be clear about who the press release is aimed at retail customers, internal users, and so on. In his explanation, he laid out the exact necessary structure for a working backwards press release (which we’ll touch on in just a second).īut before we do, it’s worth highlighting another of McAllister’s assertions: that despite press releases being an externally-focused form of communication, this version is meant specifically for internal use as a means of improving the process. McAllister’s Quora answer was not just thorough, it was in fact very useful for any product teams looking to replicate the working backwards method. What should be included in a working backwards press release?
