Story+PD: The Future Press Release

Part of a series at the intersection of Storytelling and Product Development.

A couple of people in my network each told me about a practice of writing product requirements in the form a future press release. Apparently this is done in some places within Google, but also (and originally?) at Amazon, where it’s accompanied by a future FAQ. This is an exercise that involves envisioning a future in rich detail for the product to fit into, and a narrative that has o pass the test of sounding compelling and plausible. It’s a great technique, even if your organization doesn’t require it.

My former colleague Alonzo (who has worked at Amazon) pointed out this practice makes a lot of sense when one considers how important storytelling has always been to founder Jeff Bezos. His letters to shareholders are famous for their excellent writing, and he’s insisted on solid verbal and prose storytelling instead of flashy slide decks in his meetings. (In another post, we’ll talk about Chief Storytellers.)