Working backwards to move forwards - a surprising recipe for innovation success
- John Bessant
- Mar 20
- 2 min read
How to unlock the power of your ideas through the PR/FAQ framework
Innovation isn’t a solo act, it’s a multi-player game which depends on being able to convince others to share a vision. Whether it’s colleagues with complementary skills, investors prepared to commit resources or, ultimately, end users who will adopt the innovation, everything depends on being able to write and tell a compelling story.
Which is why the PR/FAQ framework has so much to offer. Developed over a decade ago and widely used within Amazon this simple approach forces anyone with a change proposal to make their ideas come alive through the medium of a simple story. Using a structured approach they are invited to create a press release with associated ‘frequently asked questions’ – PR/FAQ – for something which doesn’t yet exist. It’s an exercise in science fiction, imagining a future reader and working to convince them with compelling copy.
Of course, in order to create that narrative the authors have to think through the various dimensions of their innovation, making sure they can pose – and answer – those FAQs and present their idea in convincing fashion. So it works as a powerful prototype to stimulate feedback and help improve the idea. But it also acts as a disciplined checklist (a bit like the Business Model Canvas) to clarify and stretch thinking to build a strong business case.
This podcast explores PR/FAQ in a fascinating interview with Marcelo Calbucci, an experienced entrepreneur who has extensive hands-on experience of using PR/FAQ. Developed over a decade ago and widely used within Amazon this simple approach forces anyone with a change proposal to make their ideas come alive through the medium of a simple story. He’s now a self-proclaimed evangelist for the method and the author of a new book which explains the considerable power behind this deceptively simple approach.
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