7 Takeaways from My Summer Journey as MBA Product Manager Intern (PMT-ES) at Amazon Web Services (AWS)
This summer, I had the distinct opportunity to immerse myself in Amazon Web Services (AWS) as an MBA Product Manager Intern. Within Amazon, product managers have various titles, such as PM, PMT, and PMT-ES, based on their expertise and technical backgrounds. My specific role at AWS this summer was “Senior Product Manager — Technical External Service Intern,” but for simplicity, I’ll refer to it as PMT-ES in this article. Different product teams and types of PMs may have varying internship experiences. This article mainly outlines my experiences as a PMT-ES intern at AWS, sharing insights I gained and offering advice for those looking to intern at Amazon.
▍The MBA Product Manager Internship Process at Amazon
Amazon’s MBA internships typically last 12 weeks, with two evaluations — one mid-point review and one final review. Different intern positions have their unique assessment criteria. For Product Managers (PMTs), we are usually assigned a research or product design project, culminating in a written report presented and discussed with the leadership team and stakeholders.
There are primarily two report formats for product manager interns: 1) the 6-pager narrative and 2) Press Release (PR) and Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ). The narrative is primarily for initial product discovery, emphasizing deep research into complex issues, clarifying problem definitions, and outlining preliminary product strategies for discussion with other departments. On the other hand, PR/FAQ focuses more on product execution strategies. Following Amazon’s “Walking Backwards” approach, products are designed from a user perspective. A mock Press Release explains the product’s value and usage to customers. This is accompanied by a series of FAQs that address potential user concerns while also elucidating the product’s design and strategy for internal stakeholders.
Most AWS Product Manager interns, including myself, tackle a “Narrative” project. Often ambiguous and challenging, these projects explore forward-looking research topics or areas still under exploration by the product teams. My project centered on AI computation in the cloud. Although I faced numerous challenges, the learnings were invaluable. I’ll share the top seven skills or lessons I gleaned:
1. Be Proactive and Embrace Ambiguity
In the initial two weeks, I deeply realized the significance of “being proactive” at Amazon. On my first day, I was handed a brief problem statement, a 300-word project background, and a list of suggested stakeholders. After a 30-minute meeting with my manager, my 12-week internship journey began. The experience reminded me of playing “Age of Empires,” where I started with basic resources and information while the rest of the world remained shrouded in mystery, waiting to be discovered. I met my manager weekly, receiving directional advice based on my progress, while the rest was up to my own exploration and judgment.
My project focused on how AWS could enhance cloud computing service experiences for deep learning and generative AI clients. Before joining AWS, I had limited knowledge about these technologies. So, I attended a bootcamp at the company’s Machine Learning University, consulted various books and online articles, and sought insights from friends with PhDs in deep learning to understand the principles. Engaging in more than 30 conversations with in-house experts and related teams, I quickly grasped the industry’s current state, future trends, and technological barriers. This understanding assisted me in building my knowledge framework and facilitated precise discussions with other teams later on.
During the internship, My manager rarely provided step-by-step guidance. Interns had a lot of freedom in project direction, but it also brought greater ownership and responsibility.
Managers offered guidance and pointed interns towards useful resources, but the specifics and nuances of a project largely fell under the intern’s purview. For example, in our weekly one-on-one sessions, my manager often began with the question, “How can I help you?” I would usually prepare a list of topics and key questions for discussions. This guidance proved invaluable, prompting me to delve deeper into my project. Subsequent steps in the project were then shaped by the insights I received from my manager.
Don’t be afraid to ask questions, no matter how basic they seem. Seek help proactively and adopt an active learning attitude. These elements were pivotal in my rapid knowledge-building and project advancement during the internship’s initial phase.
2. Amazon’s DNA of Customer Obsession
After completing a 12-week internship, I distinctly felt that Amazon’s “Customer Obsession” principle isn’t just a catchy slogan, but is genuinely ingrained in Amazon’s DNA. While many companies claim to be customer-centric in their product development, Amazon integrates this philosophy into its daily operations. For instance, whether it’s in document creation or discussions, we often begin with actual customer experiences, aiming to gain insights into their genuine needs and the context in which they use the product. Although Amazon remains attuned to industry trends and competitors, the primary focus for product innovation is still from addressing the user’s needs and challenges.
Jeff Bezos once said, “The thing I have noticed is when the anecdotes and the data disagree, the anecdotes are usually right. There’s something wrong with the way you are measuring it.” Despite Amazon’s strong emphasis on data, the company acknowledges that numbers alone cannot always capture the true voice and deeper requirements of the customer.
For instance, during my early data analysis, I noticed patterns in how customers used our product but couldn’t pinpoint the reasons. It wasn’t until I conversed with customers and account managers that I truly grasped their usage context and real needs. In several interactions with them, I often had “Aha!” moments, connecting the dots between their pain points and the data patterns I observed.
By immersing myself in customer and user engagements, I gained a deeper understanding of the challenges they faced, which in turn enabled me to devise better solutions.
3. Amazon’s Unique Writing and Meeting Culture
“The traditional kind of corporate meeting starts with a presentation. Somebody gets up in front of the room and presents with a powerpoint presentation, some type of slide show. In our view you get very little information, you get bullet points. This is easy for the presenter, but difficult for the audience. And so instead, all of our meetings are structured around a 6 page narrative memo.” — Says Jeff Bezos in a 2012 interview:
Amazon is renowned for shunning traditional PowerPoint presentations. Instead, employees craft specific documents based on distinct requirements, such as the One-Pager, Six-Pager, and Backwards Press Release.
Amazon’s meeting culture is truly distinctive. Upon entering a meeting, there’s a palpable silence as everyone intently reads the document at hand. In a typical hour-long meeting, the initial 25–30 minutes are usually dedicated to reading and pondering the document, with attendees jotting down their questions. It’s only in the latter half that the discussions begin. Initially, I found this approach somewhat jarring, but after three months of the internship, I discerned numerous advantages to this method.
From my prior work experiences, meetings could often become excessively tangential, primarily due to a lack of clear documentation. Participants sometimes had varying perceptions of the issue at hand, leading to muddled discussions. However, Amazon’s document-centric culture ensures that every participant fully grasps the theme and context, rendering meetings far more efficient and minimizing misunderstandings.
To ensure meetings are effective, Amazon has exceedingly high expectations for document quality. An exemplary document should stand on its own, enabling a reader unfamiliar with the background or technical details to swiftly comprehend the entirety of the product and the issue, and to participate in the discussions. This approach also fosters knowledge sharing across departments and helps onboard new employees more swiftly.
Crafting an exceptional document is no easy feat. As Bezos once articulated, “Full sentences are harder to write. They have verbs. The paragraphs have topic sentences. There is no way to write a six-page, narratively structured memo and not have clear thinking.”
Indeed, while refining documents, I’ve also been streamlining my thoughts and deepening my understanding of the problems. After finishing my first 6-pager, the sense of accomplishment was immense. Not only was it a learning experience, but it also introduced a thought process I believe I can continue to apply in the future.
If you’re intrigued by Amazon’s writing methods and culture, I recommend reading the following articles:
- “The Anatomy of an Amazon 6-pager” by Jesse Freeman.
- “The Beauty of Amazon’s 6-Pager” by Brad Porter.
4. Hold the Urge to Jump into Product Solution: Using the Double Diamond Approach to Conduct Product Exploration
My summer project spanned everything from product discovery all the way to product solutions. Within this compact 12-week timeframe, thoroughly understanding an issue and identifying the appropriate product strategy and solution was challenging. We often debated whether to explore broadly or focus on a specific area. At times, we might have jumped into the product design phase too quickly, thereby overlooking comprehensive thought.
To strike a balance between divergent (exploratory) and convergent (focused) thinking, I turned to the Double Diamond Approach. This design thinking technique, which I had previously learned and employed at the Kellogg Design Challenge, served as the foundation for orchestrating my project’s progress.
I divided the 12-week plan into two major phases. In the initial six weeks, I endeavored to explore and pin down the problem, scouting for different opportunity areas. By the end of this phase, I had distilled my findings into three potential research directions. I presented these areas of opportunity at a midpoint review with my team. After the mid-point review, I delved deeper into the three directions using divergent thinking. Within two weeks, I identified and prioritized one opportunity with the most promise for development. Subsequently, I returned to convergent thinking for more focused research on product solutions. In the final weeks, I integrated all previous research insights, outlined the product strategy, and presented the team with a specific recommended product solution.
Adopting this method not only streamlined the project’s progression but also granted my team clear insights into my thought progression from my narrative. Most importantly, this approach ensured I didn’t prematurely decide on the product’s direction. Before tabling a product strategy and its corresponding solution, I invested nearly nine weeks plumbing the depths of customer needs, elaborating on the problem, and weighing varied opportunities. This dedication ensured the end product strategy and solution were well-rounded and resonated deeply with our customers’ genuine needs.
5. Rigorous Product Thinking and Rapid Project Progression
As one of the titans in the cloud service industry, AWS’s depth in product thinking truly earns my admiration. As previously mentioned, writing documentation isn’t just about presenting problems for others to understand; it also trains you in critical thinking and problem insight. AWS’s documents are typically concise, and devoid of redundancy or vague descriptions. Every presented viewpoint must be backed by solid evidence, whether it’s from customer anecdotes or data. As an intern, you’re also expected to provide deep and thorough insights.
For instance, when describing a customer’s dissatisfaction with a particular product feature, it’s not enough to say they’re unhappy. Instead, you must clearly elucidate the reasons for their discontent. Under what usage scenario did the customer express dissatisfaction? What tangible business impact does this issue have on the customer? What alternative solutions is the customer currently considering? Is this concern unique to one customer, or is it a common pain point among a specific customer group? By drilling down into these layers of questioning, we can usually grasp the essence of the problem more clearly.
However, rigorous product thinking doesn’t equate to slow progress. During my 12-week internship, my document underwent more than 20 major and minor revisions. The entire internship felt like a non-stop sprint for 12 weeks, where each revision signified receiving new feedback or integrating new insights. For example, my final version retained only about a fifth of the content from my mid-point narrative. The remainder was based on in-depth research carried out later and a restructured narrative logic.
Coming from a business background, I had little experience in conducting research or writing academic papers. But during my AWS internship, I experienced the process of extensive problem research and insight provision and learned how to integrate these insights into a high-quality research report (6-pager narrative).
6. A Culture of Direct Communication
At Amazon, the internal communication encourages a culture of “speaking directly.” When you seek feedback from colleagues, they won’t excessively sugarcoat their praise or beat around the bush. Instead, they get straight to the point, highlighting issues and providing substantial, constructive feedback.
I once discussed a document with a principal product manager. As they reviewed, they posed over 20 comments and numerous “why” questions. I initially felt disheartened, thinking my work was lacking. Yet, by the end of our talk, they remarked, “Your document is truly impressive. There are several very interesting insights worth diving into. I hope my feedback helps you refine your assumptions and introduces avenues for deeper research.” Reflecting on their suggestions, I realized they pinpointed areas I hadn’t fully considered or substantiated. Such direct feedback is invaluable to me, as it highlights areas needing enhancement.
At Amazon, high-quality documents often spark intense discussions and receive numerous feedback. If disagreements or heated debates arise during meetings, don’t panic. It often indicates that your document has touched on the core issues, capturing everyone’s attention and prompting deep reflection. “What’s most concerning is not receiving too much feedback but receiving none at all.” If your document lacks in-depth analysis, others might only comment on your writing style or grammar, without triggering much substantial discussion.
7. The Drive for Excellence: Always Raising the Bar
“Insist on the Highest Standards” is one of Amazon’s 14 leadership principles that continually push employees to challenge and surpass themselves. During my 12-week experience, I repeatedly accepted feedback and made numerous revisions to my project document. I always felt a compelling drive to push projects to the best of my ability. As my internship neared its conclusion, I found that I was no longer aiming to meet the expectations for interns set by the student program or managers. Instead, I aspired for my research to influence AWS’s product strategy and deliver a real impact to customers one day, thereby continually improving the depth of my research and the quality of my documents.
Within the AWS environment, I observed that most “Amazonians” are not just focused on getting their job done. They tend to go the extra mile to ensure excellence, hoping that their efforts will have a profound impact. This pursuit of excellence and high-quality is one of the traits Amazon greatly values. It’s also a principle I deeply internalized and learned during this summer.
▍Conclusion and Some Final Thoughts
The outcome of an internship is influenced by many uncontrollable external factors, including market conditions and the specific product group to which one is assigned. What interns can truly control is focusing on the internship process itself, ensuring that they continuously learn and accumulate experience throughout.
I also encourage everyone to communicate frequently with fellow interns. Assisting each other and providing suggestions for each other’s projects has been a significant learning curve for me. It’s especially enlightening to see how others conduct their research and articulate their findings. Don’t view other interns as competitors. Sharing resources and engaging in mutual discussions is definitely more productive than working in isolation. After the internship concludes, these friendships will deepen, and these connections will become invaluable networks for the future.
Outside of the internship, my summer in Seattle was incredibly fulfilling. Apart from making numerous new friends and hosting a rooftop BBQ, I managed to take some time off to travel to Vancouver and Olympic National Park. Seattle summers are truly enchanting. With the sun setting only after 9 p.m., evening strolls along Lake Union, and weekend hikes around the city, I’ve fallen deeply in love with this city!
I didn’t expect to write so much again, but I hope this article provides a glimpse into the internship experience at Amazon/AWS. Wishing everyone success in finding their ideal internships and jobs!
