Why Product Teams in Amazon Ditch the Decks #
PowerPoint is out. Narrative thinking is in. At Amazon, PowerPoint-style presentations are banned in favor of six-page, narratively structured memos. These memos are not just another format—they are a complete rethinking of how ideas are communicated, evaluated, and refined. For product leaders and cross-functional teams aiming for clarity, deep thinking, and better decision-making, adopting the six-page narrative method can be a game-changer.
Jeff Bezos once wrote: “PowerPoint-style presentations somehow give permission to gloss over ideas, flatten out any sense of relative importance, and ignore the interconnectedness of ideas” (Bezos, 2004). Instead, Amazon adopted a model where meetings begin with 20–30 minutes of silent reading, followed by structured, rigorous discussion of the narrative memo.
This article explains what a Six-Page Narrative is, outlines a recommended template, and offers best practices for product teams to apply the technique in their own strategic planning sessions.
What Is a Six-Page Narrative? #
A Six-Page Narrative is a deeply considered written document that presents a complex idea, product strategy, or proposal in full. Unlike bullet points or slides, it must:
- Be narratively structured (not just a list of facts or metrics)
- Be logically ordered from problem to solution
- Include supporting evidence and analysis
- Be written, reviewed, and refined over several days
These memos often take a week or more to complete. Great narratives are rewritten multiple times and improved through peer feedback and editing cycles. According to Amazon’s 2017 shareholder letter, the best memos often have “the clarity of angels singing” (Amazon.com, Inc., 2018).
Template: Anatomy of a Six-Page Narrative #
Use this framework to draft your six-page memo. This format is adapted from Jesse Freeman, a senior product leader and writer who has studied and practiced Amazon’s internal documentation methods. His guide, “The Anatomy of an Amazon 6-Pager” (Freeman, 2023), offers a practitioner-friendly breakdown of what makes this structure effective.
| Section | Questions Addressed |
|---|---|
| 1. Context or Overview | › What problem or opportunity is being addressed? › Who are the stakeholders? |
| 2. Goals and Tenets | › What principles guide this proposal? › What does success look like? |
| 3. Problem Statement | › Describe the pain points using customer data or operational metrics. › Explain why this matters now. |
| 4. Solution or Proposal | › Detail the recommended approach or product. › Include any alternative solutions considered. |
| 5. Implementation Plan | › Outline milestones, resourcing, and dependencies. › Identify key risks and mitigation strategies. |
| 6. Appendix (optional) | › Include charts, market data, or customer insights. |
This structure helps focus the team not just on what the product is, but why it exists, who it’s for, and how it will be built and measured.
Best Practices for Writing Great Memos #
| Best Practice | Description |
|---|---|
| Start Early | Great memos take 5–10 days. Write, revise, rest, and re-read with fresh eyes. |
| Review Collaboratively | Ask trusted peers to critique clarity, logic, and completeness. Iterate accordingly. |
| Focus on Narrative Flow | Connect ideas clearly from start to finish. Avoid listing facts without synthesis. |
| Use Plain Language | Avoid jargon. Clarity > cleverness. Write for the smartest person not in the room. |
| Back Claims with Data | Use facts, quotes, and charts. Avoid speculation unless explicitly framed. |
Jeff Bezos emphasized that the challenge with writing isn’t about intelligence but scope. Many writers underestimate how much time high-quality thinking takes (Bezos, 2018).
Why This Matters for Product Teams #
- Improves Strategic Thinking: Writing forces deeper engagement with the problem.
- Reveals Flaws Early: Bad logic is easier to spot in narrative than in a slide deck.
- Enhances Alignment: Shared documents with clear structure improve cross-team clarity.
- Encourages Ownership: Memos reflect the author’s commitment to the idea.
Product teams can use six-page narratives for roadmap decisions, customer journey redesigns, or even go-to-market strategies. The method also works well for cross-functional discussions, where alignment is crucial.
Teach Scope, Not Just Structure #
The memo format is not a shortcut; it’s a discipline. Product leaders should coach their teams not just on how to write six-page narratives, but on how much time and thought to invest in them. This method doesn’t just change the format of your meetings. It changes the quality of your thinking.
Have you experimented with Amazon-style narratives? Share your challenges and learnings in the comments.
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Works Cited #
Bezos, Jeff. “Re: No PowerPoint Presentations from Now on at Steam.” 9 June 2004. Retrieved from https://web.archive.org/web/20190226150726/http://blogs.ltcrevolution.com/signature-learning/files/2016/09/bezos.jpg
Amazon.com, Inc. “2017 Letter to Shareholders.” 18 Apr. 2018. U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1018724/000119312518121161/d456916dex991.htm
Freeman, Jesse. “The Anatomy of an Amazon 6-Pager.” The Writing Cooperative, 8 Jan. 2023, https://writingcooperative.com/the-anatomy-of-an-amazon-6-pager-fc79f31a41c9
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