Marcelo Calbucci on Strategic Product Thinking

In this episode of Semaphore Uncut, Darko Fabijan welcomes Marcelo Calbucci—engineer, startup founder, and author of The PR FAQ Book. Marcelo shares insights from his time at Amazon, where he encountered a decision-making framework that changed how he thinks about product development: the PR FAQ.

What starts as an internal press release quickly becomes a strategic tool to align teams, evaluate product ideas, and make better decisions—before writing a single line of code.

From Startups to Amazon—and Back Again

Marcelo’s journey spans startups, big tech, and now authorship. Originally from Brazil, he kicked off his career at Microsoft working on Bing, then founded multiple startups across Seattle and London. After 18 years in the startup world, he joined Amazon—a drastic shift in scale and structure.

That’s where he discovered the PR FAQ framework.

“I saw how useful it was, not just inside Amazon,” Marcelo says, “but for any founder, product leader, or engineer making strategic decisions.”

What Is a PR FAQ?

PR FAQ stands for Press Release and Frequently Asked Questions. It’s more than a document—Marcelo describes it as a three-part system:

A six-page narrative outlining the vision and FAQs
A precise writing style that emphasizes clarity and data over buzzwords
A method for team collaboration and decision-making

The structure is simple:

Page 1: A fictional press release, imagining the product is already launched
Page 2: Customer FAQs
Pages 3–6: Internal FAQs addressing strategy, feasibility, and impact

Unlike traditional planning documents, a PR FAQ avoids details about tech stacks, feature lists, or timelines. Instead, it focuses on why the project matters, what problem it solves, and who it serves.

Working Backwards: Strategy Before Execution

At the heart of the PR FAQ is a technique Amazon calls working backwards—starting with the customer-facing outcome and reverse-engineering the path to get there.

Marcelo explains:

“It’s a vision and strategy document. Not a plan. You’re imagining the future and asking: what must be true for this to succeed?”

By avoiding premature execution details, teams stay focused on the big picture. Including implementation specifics too early can derail strategic discussions.

The Lifecycle of a PR FAQ

A PR FAQ typically takes one to two weeks to develop. It begins with a draft from a project owner (like a CTO or product lead), followed by iterative review sessions with stakeholders. These reviews aren’t just approvals—they’re collaboration points to refine the vision.

Eventually, the document reaches a decision meeting. The result: go, no-go, or revisit later.

Once approved, the PR FAQ becomes the team’s north star. And unless a major strategic assumption changes, the document rarely needs rewriting.

“The value is clarity. Everyone knows why the project matters—and can make aligned decisions without constant check-ins.”

When Should You Use One?

Marcelo emphasizes that PR FAQs aren’t only for product launches. You can use them for:

Migrating vendors (e.g. switching observability tools)
Strategic tech shifts (e.g. adopting Snowflake)
Internal programs or process overhauls
Even writing a book (Marcelo used one for his!)

The key isn’t the size of the task—it’s the impact. A one-day feature with major business implications might deserve a PR FAQ. A three-month refactor that introduces legal or compliance risks might need one too.

OKRs + PR FAQ = A Healthy Stack

Many teams use OKRs (Objectives and Key Results) for planning—but Marcelo warns that OKRs alone can lack context.

“We’d spend 10–15 minutes in meetings just explaining what the OKR meant. Eventually, we started writing a paragraph of narrative. At Amazon, I realized: that’s the PR FAQ.”

Marcelo sees PR FAQs as a perfect precursor to OKRs. They bring clarity before planning, and help teams avoid setting vague or misaligned objectives.

Common Pitfalls to Avoid

Marcelo shares three mistakes teams often make when adopting PR FAQs:

Confusing strategy with execution
Don’t list features or roadmaps. Stay focused on why.
Using vague or “salesy” language
Be specific. Say “78% of users used this feature last week” instead of “most users love it.”
Treating it as a solo activity
A PR FAQ isn’t a manifesto—it’s a collaborative document. Use it to pull your team in, not push ideas out.

Want to Try It?

Marcelo’s book, The PR FAQ Book, is a practical guide filled with real examples, templates, and tips for using the framework in your own team.

🎁 Join the giveaway for Semaphore Uncut listeners: theprfaq.com/giveaway/semaphore-uncut