Workshop:
Working Backwards

Master Amazon's innovation method: From customer needs to press releases to product concepts.

Illustration: 4 Personen an Notebooks und Whiteboard, die diskutieren, planen und programmieren.

Workshop "Working Backwards"

online or inhouse

The workshop is designed to last 6 hours as standard. However, the content and duration can be individually customized. Let's talk about the possibilities!

Everything at a glance: What to expect in the workshop

The Working Backwards process is Amazon's proven secret to success in developing innovative products that not only work technically, but also solve real customer problems. Instead of starting with a vague idea, this method forces you to already have the goal in mind: the idea that the product is already successful on the market. This radical change of perspective ensures that every development retains a clear benefit and strong relevance.

In this workshop, we will decipher the central building blocks of this approach and walk through the entire process together. It's about thinking beyond mere features and instead gaining a deep understanding of the customer's context. What we cannot clearly explain at the conception stage will not work in reality – this credo is the driving force behind the quality of your future products.

Agenda

Introduction to the Working Backwards Process

Presentation of the underlying materials (press release, FAQ) and the use case

Phase 1: Understanding the customer's context & problem identification

Methods for analyzing customer needs and pain points
Definition of the target group and its current challenges

Phase 2: Ideation & Solution Approaches

Creative techniques for developing innovative product ideas
From problem to potential solution – initial sketching of concepts

Phase 3: Specifying customer benefits

Identifying the specific benefits that the product offers the customer
Formulating clear value propositions

Phase 4: Creating a press release

In small groups, we formulate a press release that describes the future product from the customer's perspective
Focus on customer benefits, pain points that are solved, and unique selling points
Focus on economic goals

Conclusion and outlook

Overview of the next steps after the concept phase and best practices for further product development
Discussion about integrating the working backwards process into existing workflows

Learning objectives

After this workshop, you will be able to:

Understand and apply the Amazon-style working backwards process.
Analyze the customer's context in depth and identify relevant problems.
Use effective ideation methods to develop suitable product solutions.
Clearly define and formulate customer benefits.
Formulate a compelling press release from the customer's perspective based on a well-founded solution to a problem.
Internalize the core principles of customer-centric thinking in product development.
Systematically design your own product ideas from the end user's perspective.

This workshop will help you

Put product ideas on a solid, customer-centric footing.
Minimize missteps and increase the chances of success for your products.
Create a clear basis for communication between the team and stakeholders
Develop a deep understanding of Amazon's specific approach to innovation
Application example about the mission and everyday work at Amazon (ref. ReInvent Working Backwards)

Target group

This workshop is aimed at:

Product managers, product owners, and founders
Teams that want to develop new products or features
People looking for a systematic method for validating and designing product ideas
Beginners to advanced users in the field of product management and UX

Number of participants:

Max. 15 people

The speakers

Simon

IT Consultant

Stefan Spittank

Andreas Wagner

Would you like to put your product ideas on a solid, customer-oriented footing and learn how to systematically lead them to success from the end user's perspective? We'll show you the Working Backwards process—for innovations with real added value!