Definition Workflow Big Tech Essentials

big-tech-essentials-feature

Big Tech essentials for feature-level opportunities on existing products. Starts with OpportunitySpec + OKRs, uses PR/FAQ-driven development with design docs and API-first thinking. Simplified evaluation criteria focused on Amazon, Google, and Stripe practices.

Inspired by Big Tech Essentials. The methodology is its originators’ own published work, drawn from their public writing and talks. ProductBuildersHQ has implemented it as a machine-readable workflow in VisionSpec so it can be automated — spec synthesis and LLM-as-a-Judge evaluation, built in. This encoding is an independent interpretation, not affiliated with or endorsed by its originators.

Specs in This Workflow

FAQ Required gtm Challenge assumptions, include developer FAQ

OpportunitySpec Required source 12-box opportunity canvas with OKR alignment - the starting document for features

PRD Required source Product requirements with API contracts, non-goals, and alternatives

Press Required gtm Working backwards press release for the feature

SPEC Required output

TPD Required technical Test plan with experiment design and hypothesis validation

TRD Required technical Design doc with alternatives, tradeoffs, and reversibility assessment

UXD Required source User experience with developer experience considerations

BMC Optional gtm Business Model Canvas extracted from MRD for stakeholder review

IRD Optional technical Infrastructure requirements

MRD Optional source

1-Pager Optional gtm Executive summary

6-Pager Optional gtm Amazon-style 6-pager for major features

OST Optional source Use big-tech-product for Continuous Discovery integration

Pitch Optional source Use big-tech-product for Shape Up integration

Synthesis Rules

How downstream specs are generated from upstream ones.

MRD BMC

Extract Business Model Canvas blocks from MRD sections 2-11. Format as standalone canvas for visual review.

OpportunitySpec +Press FAQ

Include internal stakeholder questions, customer questions, and developer/API questions (Stripe). Address risks and assumptions from OpportunitySpec.

OpportunitySpec +Press +FAQ PRD

Include API contracts (Stripe), non-goals (Google), alternatives considered. Map to OpportunitySpec's critical requirements and success metrics.

OpportunitySpec Press

Write from customer perspective. Focus on the specific user value from OpportunitySpec.

MRD +PRD +UXD +TRD +TPD SPEC

Unified specification consolidating all approved specs.

PRD +TRD TPD

Include hypothesis and success criteria for key validations. Validate core assumptions from OpportunitySpec.

PRD +UXD TRD

Google design doc format. Include alternatives considered, explicit tradeoffs, and reversibility assessment (two-way vs one-way door).

Methodology Principles

Customer Obsession Start with the customer and work backwards (Amazon)

Developer Experience Optimize for developer productivity (Stripe)

Working Backwards Write the press release first (Amazon)

Explicit Tradeoffs Every decision has costs; make them visible (Google)

Alternatives Considered Always evaluate multiple approaches (Google)

Data Driven Decisions backed by data and experiments (Google)

Bias For Action Speed matters; two-way door decisions (Amazon)

Reversibility Prefer reversible decisions (Google)

Highest Standards Relentlessly high standards (Amazon)

Api First Design the interface before implementation (Stripe)

Documentation Quality Docs are part of the product (Stripe)

Non Goals What we won't do is as important as what we will (Google)

Peer Review Design reviews ensure diverse perspectives (Google)

Disagree And Commit Truth-seeking, then commit (Amazon)

Ownership Think long-term, end-to-end ownership (Amazon)

Incremental Delivery Ship small, ship often (Stripe)

Included Assets

17 document templates · 15 LLM-as-a-Judge rubrics — embedded in visionspec.