Most innovation efforts fail for the same reason: they start with a solution and go looking for a problem. Working Backwards flips this. You start with the customer, get ruthlessly clear about the problem worth solving, and write a press release from the future before building anything. It is the methodology Amazon used to launch AWS, Kindle, and Prime - and it works just as well outside Amazon.
At AWS, I helped introduce Working Backwards to companies like Volvo, KONE, Novo Nordisk, DNB Bank, Husqvarna, and Lassila & Tikanoja - as well as startups, scale-ups, non-profits, and public sector organizations. I helped them rethink, build, and launch new products, services, and offerings using this methodology. Since then, I have continued this work independently with organizations including Assa Abloy, Friends, Combinet, and others.
How Working Backwards works
Start with the customer
Answer five questions: Who is the customer? What is their problem? What is the most important benefit? How do you know what they need? What does the experience look like? These force alignment before solutions enter the conversation.
Ideate solutions
With a clear customer problem defined, generate solution ideas using structured ideation methods - Systematic Inventive Thinking (SIT), SCAMPER, Six Thinking Hats, and other frameworks refined over 25 years. Amazon does not have a structured approach to ideation, so this is where my process goes beyond standard Working Backwards.
Write the PRFAQ
Draft a press release from the future describing your solution as if it already exists - in customer language, not internal jargon. Add FAQs that address both customer questions and stakeholder concerns about viability, risks, and scale. This document becomes your north star.
Design experiments
The PRFAQ is a vision, not a plan. Identify the riskiest assumptions and design quick experiments to test them. Get evidence before committing resources. This is where most innovation programs skip straight to building - Working Backwards prevents that.
Build and iterate
Release a minimum loveable product quickly and iterate based on real customer feedback. The PRFAQ keeps the team focused on customer needs as the solution evolves, preventing scope creep and feature bloat.
Engagement formats
Introductory session
A 60-90 minute or half-day session where your team learns the Working Backwards methodology by applying it. Participants work through the five questions, draft a Today Statement, and get hands-on experience with the process. Ideal for teams new to the methodology or leadership offsites.
Full Working Backwards engagement
A multi-week program that takes a real innovation challenge through the complete Working Backwards process: framing, workshops, ideation, PRFAQ development, stakeholder readout, and experiment design. Your team does not just learn the method - they use it to make a real investment decision.
PRFAQ sprint
A focused 2-3 week engagement for teams that have a defined challenge and want to produce a high-quality PRFAQ document quickly. Includes coaching on the five Working Backwards questions, collaborative writing sessions, and a stakeholder readout.
Ideation workshops
Structured ideation sessions that slot in after the Working Backwards questions and before writing the PRFAQ. Using methods like SIT, SCAMPER, and Six Thinking Hats, teams generate stronger solution ideas for the problem they have defined.
Who this is for
Working Backwards consulting is for innovation teams, product organizations, and leadership groups who want a structured, customer-obsessed approach to innovation. It works for exploring new product ideas, pivoting existing offerings, or building an innovation culture across the organization.
I have facilitated Working Backwards engagements across industries and organization types - from enterprises like Volvo, KONE, Novo Nordisk, DNB Bank, Husqvarna, Lassila & Tikanoja, and Assa Abloy, to startups, scale-ups, non-profits like Friends, and public sector organizations. The methodology adapts to any context where customer-obsessed innovation matters.
What clients say
“Amir worked with us to establish an AI Playbook for our 3,000+ employees. His ability to blend strategic AI insight with our company culture was remarkable. The workshops were engaging, hands-on, and directly led to a shift in how our teams approach AI adoption.”
“Amir has a unique way of getting people engaged. His innovation sessions are fun, practical and deliver results you can use the next day. Concrete tools and methods, not just theory.”
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Frequently asked questions
What is Working Backwards?
Working Backwards is Amazon's innovation methodology. Instead of starting with a technology or solution and looking for a problem, you start with the customer - who they are, what problem they face, and what benefit matters most. You then write a press release from the future describing the solution as if it already exists, which forces clarity and alignment before any building begins.
What is a PRFAQ?
A PRFAQ is a Press Release and Frequently Asked Questions document. The press release is a one-page vision for a product or service written from the customer's perspective. The FAQs dive into details - customer questions about using it and stakeholder questions about business viability, risks, and technical choices. It is the core artifact of the Working Backwards process.
Who is this for?
Working Backwards consulting is for innovation teams, product organizations, and leadership groups who want a structured, customer-obsessed approach to innovation. It works for enterprises, startups, scale-ups, non-profits, and public sector organizations - whether you are exploring a new product idea, pivoting an existing offering, or building an innovation culture across the organization.
Do we need to be familiar with Amazon's methods beforehand?
No prior knowledge is needed. The engagement starts with an introduction to the methodology, the five Working Backwards questions, and the PRFAQ format. Participants learn by doing - applying the framework to their own real challenges during the workshop.
What do we walk away with?
Depending on the engagement format, you walk away with a validated challenge definition, a draft or refined PRFAQ document, experiment designs to test your assumptions, and a clear path forward. More importantly, your team learns a repeatable process they can apply to future innovation challenges independently.
How long does a typical engagement take?
Formats range from a 60-90 minute introduction to Working Backwards, to half-day and full-day hands-on workshops, to multi-week engagements that take a real challenge through the complete process. Each format is tailored to your goals and timeline.
Where are you based and what regions do you serve?
Amir is based in Stockholm, Sweden and works primarily across the Nordics and Europe. Engagements are available both on-site and remotely, and international work is welcome for the right fit.
Ready to innovate like Amazon?
Book a free 30-minute discovery call. We will discuss your innovation challenge and find the right format for your team.
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