Week 47, 2020
Amazon Memos: Operating Plans, Narrative Structures, and Critical Reviews
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Each week I share three ideas for how to make work better. And this week, that means taking a look at Amazon’s famous 6-page memos.
Why am I writing about this? Powerpoint is banned at Amazon. Instead, the company uses a number of densely written memos — the most famous of which is the 6-page operational plan. Here’s the gist:
1. Operating Plans
Amazon observes a twice-annual planning process dubbed OP-1 and OP-2. Every 6 months, teams submit 6-page Operating Plans detailing their path towards market dominance. And while appendices are allowed and encouraged, the plans must themselves fit on just 6 pages — nothing more, nothing less. And while a good plan will see your team fully funded, a poor one could lead to your team being disbanded.
For more, see What We Can Learn From Amazon’s Planning Process
2. Narrative Structures
The history of the 6-page plan goes back decades. “[T]he narrative structure of a good memo forces better thought and better…
