Amazon Working Backwards
The Working Backwards process moves from idea to PR-FAQ in two phases: first answer the 5 Questions to force clarity of thinking, then write a PR-FAQ document that brings the idea to life for readers.
Workflow
Determine the entry point based on what the user provides:
Starting from a rough idea or proposal? → Follow the "5 Questions Phase" below Have 5Q answers to refine/verify? → Read references/five-questions-guide.md and apply the verification checklist Ready to write a PR-FAQ? → Follow the "PR-FAQ Phase" below Have a PR-FAQ to review? → Read references/prfaq-template.md and evaluate against the writing standards and common rejection reasons Want to clarify a specific element? → Read the relevant reference file for that phase
Output Convention
Always write to a file from the start. Do not draft in chat.
- 5Q answers: Write to
YYYY-MM-DD - [Product Name] 5Q.md - PR-FAQ: Write to
YYYY-MM-DD - [Product Name] PR-FAQ.md - Iterations: Edit the file in place; summarize changes in chat
- Word format: If the user requests.docx, use the
docxskill to produce a formatted document
When asking clarifying questions or presenting feedback, respond in chat. All substantive content (5Q answers, PR-FAQ drafts) goes to file.
5 Questions Phase
The 5 Questions force clarity before any document writing begins:
- Who is the customer?
- What is the customer problem or opportunity?
- What is the most important customer benefit?
- How do we know what the customer needs or wants?
- What does the customer experience look like?
Drafting 5Q Answers
- Read references/five-questions-guide.md for the quality bar and pitfalls for each question
- Read references/examples.md to see a worked example from idea through 5Q to PR-FAQ
- Ask clarifying questions if the user's idea is too vague to answer any question well — ask one question at a time
- Draft all 5 answers, following the "What a strong answer looks like" guidance for each
- Write answers to the 5Q file; summarize in chat and ask for feedback; iterate by editing the file
Verifying 5Q Answers
When reviewing or verifying answers (user's own or previously drafted):
- Read references/five-questions-guide.md
- Apply the verification checklist (coherence, specificity, customer obsession, intellectual honesty)
- Use the probing questions from the guide to challenge weak areas
- Present specific, actionable feedback — not generic praise
PR-FAQ Phase
Once 5Q answers are solid, generate the PR-FAQ document.
- Read references/prfaq-template.md for the exact structure and quality bar
- Read references/examples.md if not already loaded
- Write the Press Release section, mapping: Q2 → problem paragraph, Q3 → solution paragraph, Q5 → experience paragraph, Q1 → customer quote persona
- Write External FAQ (5-10 customer questions)
- Write Internal FAQ (5-10 stakeholder questions)
- Write to the PR-FAQ file; summarize in chat and ask for feedback; iterate by editing the file
Reviewing an Existing PR-FAQ
- Read references/prfaq-template.md, paying attention to the "Common Rejection Reasons" section
- Evaluate each section of the PR-FAQ against the writing standards
- Check that the PR-FAQ is internally consistent (problem → benefit → experience alignment)
- Provide specific, section-by-section feedback with concrete suggestions for improvement