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Werner Vogels

11/12/18

@ Y Combinator

The 'working backwards' process at Amazon starts with writing a press release for yourself to clarify what you're going to build, followed by answering the 20 most frequent questions about the product.

Video

A Conversation with Werner Vogels

@ Y Combinator

A Conversation with Werner Vogels

11/12/18

Related Takeaways

Ian McAllister

11/20/22

@ Lenny's Podcast

The working backwards process at Amazon emphasizes starting with the problem and obsessing over it, rather than jumping straight to solutions.

Ian McAllister

11/20/22

@ Lenny's Podcast

The working backwards review is a meeting with leadership to review the concept, press release, and fact, which can serve as a gate to approving a project.

Y Combinator Cast

09/20/18

@ Y Combinator

When preparing for press interviews, draft succinct answers to frequently asked questions that reporters typically ask early-stage startups.

Ian McAllister

11/20/22

@ Lenny's Podcast

A common mistake teams make when trying to implement the working backwards process is that they start with a solution instead of a customer problem, which leads to retrofitting the problem to fit the solution.

Lenny's Podcast Cast

04/11/24

@ Lenny's Podcast

It's often more effective to sell a product before building it, as this approach provides valuable customer feedback and ensures that the product meets actual market needs.

Hosain Rahman

04/26/17

@ Y Combinator

Our design process is deliberate, starting with imaginative exploration, followed by validation and concept development, leading to product launch and iteration.

Michael Seibel

03/15/19

@ Y Combinator

Investors want to know about your product's development stage, market size, pricing strategy, and your team's capability to build the product.

Bob McGrew

05/28/25

@ Joe Lonsdale

Instead of interviewing customers to identify their problems, we had to build a product based on our assumptions and then iterate based on their feedback, which was often critical.

Zack Scriven Media Cast

06/13/21

@ Zack Scriven Media

A process plan outlines the steps customers need to take to buy or use your product, reducing confusion and guiding them forward.