Your manager at Amazon asks about Amazon Studios: should we produce more Amazon original series with shorter seasons, or fewer with longer seasons?

Introduction

The trade-off question at hand is whether Amazon Studios should produce more original series with shorter seasons or fewer series with longer seasons. This scenario involves balancing content quantity and depth, considering viewer engagement, production costs, and platform strategy. I'll analyze this trade-off by examining product understanding, metrics, experimentation, and decision-making frameworks.

Step 1

Clarifying Questions (3 minutes)

• Based on our current content strategy, I'm thinking this decision might significantly impact our subscriber retention. Could you share how our original content currently performs in terms of viewer engagement compared to licensed content?

Why it matters: Helps determine the value of original content to our platform Expected answer: Original content drives higher engagement Impact on approach: Would lean towards producing more original series

• Considering our production capabilities, I'm assuming we have a fixed budget for original content. Is this correct, and if so, how flexible is it?

Why it matters: Determines the constraints we're working within Expected answer: Fixed budget with some flexibility Impact on approach: Would influence the balance between quantity and quality of productions

• Looking at user behavior, I'm curious about binge-watching trends. Do we have data on how quickly viewers typically consume our series?

Why it matters: Informs optimal season length and release strategy Expected answer: Majority of viewers binge-watch within a week of release Impact on approach: Might favor shorter seasons with more frequent releases

• Regarding our technical infrastructure, I'm wondering about our recommendation algorithm's effectiveness. How well does it currently drive viewers from one original series to another?

Why it matters: Affects the value of having a broader vs. deeper content library Expected answer: Algorithm performs well but has room for improvement Impact on approach: Could influence decision based on how well we can cross-promote content

• Considering our competitive landscape, I'm thinking about content differentiation. How unique are our original series compared to competitors', and how important is this uniqueness to our overall strategy?

Why it matters: Helps determine the strategic value of original content Expected answer: Uniqueness is highly valued and a key differentiator Impact on approach: Might favor fewer, higher-quality productions if they're more likely to be distinctive