The Working Backwards process moves from idea to PR-FAQ in two phases: first answer the 5 Questions to force clarity of thinking, then write a PR-FAQ document that brings the idea to life for readers.
Workflow
Determine the entry point based on what the user provides:
Starting from a rough idea or proposal?
→ Follow the "5 Questions Phase" below
Have 5Q answers to refine/verify?
→ Read
references/five-questions-guide.md
and apply the verification checklist
Ready to write a PR-FAQ?
→ Follow the "PR-FAQ Phase" below
Have a PR-FAQ to review?
→ Read
references/prfaq-template.md
and evaluate against the writing standards and common rejection reasons
Want to clarify a specific element?
→ Read the relevant reference file for that phase
Output Convention
Always write to a file from the start. Do not draft in chat.
5Q answers
Write to
YYYY-MM-DD - [Product Name] 5Q.md
PR-FAQ
Write to
YYYY-MM-DD - [Product Name] PR-FAQ.md
Iterations
Edit the file in place; summarize changes in chat
Word format
If the user requests .docx, use the
docx
skill to produce a formatted document
When asking clarifying questions or presenting feedback, respond in chat. All substantive content (5Q answers, PR-FAQ drafts) goes to file.
5 Questions Phase
The 5 Questions force clarity before any document writing begins:
Who is the customer?
What is the customer problem or opportunity?
What is the most important customer benefit?
How do we know what the customer needs or wants?
What does the customer experience look like?
Drafting 5Q Answers
Read
references/five-questions-guide.md
for the quality bar and pitfalls for each question
Read
references/examples.md
to see a worked example from idea through 5Q to PR-FAQ
Ask clarifying questions if the user's idea is too vague to answer any question well — ask one question at a time
Draft all 5 answers, following the "What a strong answer looks like" guidance for each
Write answers to the 5Q file; summarize in chat and ask for feedback; iterate by editing the file
Verifying 5Q Answers
When reviewing or verifying answers (user's own or previously drafted):
Read
references/five-questions-guide.md
Apply the verification checklist (coherence, specificity, customer obsession, intellectual honesty)
Use the probing questions from the guide to challenge weak areas
Present specific, actionable feedback — not generic praise
PR-FAQ Phase
Once 5Q answers are solid, generate the PR-FAQ document.
Read
references/prfaq-template.md
for the exact structure and quality bar
Read
references/examples.md
if not already loaded
Write the Press Release section, mapping: Q2 → problem paragraph, Q3 → solution paragraph, Q5 → experience paragraph, Q1 → customer quote persona
Write External FAQ (5-10 customer questions)
Write Internal FAQ (5-10 stakeholder questions)
Write to the PR-FAQ file; summarize in chat and ask for feedback; iterate by editing the file
Reviewing an Existing PR-FAQ
Read
references/prfaq-template.md
, paying attention to the "Common Rejection Reasons" section
Evaluate each section of the PR-FAQ against the writing standards
Check that the PR-FAQ is internally consistent (problem → benefit → experience alignment)
Provide specific, section-by-section feedback with concrete suggestions for improvement