“Working Backwards”
This was a concept I had heard of before but hadn't studied much, until recently when a friend encouraged me to take a closer look.
There are some great details on this approach in the annual Amazon shareholder letters:
"'Working backward' from customer needs can be contrasted with a 'skills-forward' approach where existing skills and competencies are used to drive business opportunities.
Working backward from customer needs often demands that we acquire new competencies and exercise new muscles, never mind how uncomfortable and awkward-feeling this first steps might be.
Start with customers and work backward. Listen to customers, but don't just listen to customers - also invent on their behalf."
The biggest takeaway for me on working backward is that it is a forcing function for innovation, it sets an expectation that you will invent and drive change.
For a deeper dive on the topic Amazon Web Services (AWS) had a great presentation on the topic at an event last year:
https://youtu.be/aFdpBqmDpzM
This was a concept I had heard of before but hadn't studied much, until recently when a friend encouraged me to take a closer look.
There are some great details on this approach in the annual Amazon shareholder letters:
"'Working backward' from customer needs can be contrasted with a 'skills-forward' approach where existing skills and competencies are used to drive business opportunities.
Working backward from customer needs often demands that we acquire new competencies and exercise new muscles, never mind how uncomfortable and awkward-feeling this first steps might be.
Start with customers and work backward. Listen to customers, but don't just listen to customers - also invent on their behalf."
The biggest takeaway for me on working backward is that it is a forcing function for innovation, it sets an expectation that you will invent and drive change.
For a deeper dive on the topic Amazon Web Services (AWS) had a great presentation on the topic at an event last year:
https://youtu.be/aFdpBqmDpzM