Amazon distinguishes two types of decisions, including reversible "two-way doors".

Judged as of 2018-09-20. True: Amazon's own documented practice as of then (e.g., Bezos's shareholder letters such as 1997/2015/2016, or other Amazon leadership materials) distinguishes two types of decisions: irreversible or nearly irreversible "one-way door" (Type 1) decisions and reversible "two-way door" (Type 2) decisions. Mostly true: Amazon draws this two-type distinction but the "two-way door" label or a minor detail is attributed loosely, e.g. the wording appears in Bezos's statements rather than in formal company process. Mixed: Amazon describes decision categories, but they only partly match the two-type reversible/irreversible split. Mostly false: the distinction is Bezos's personal view, with no sign that Amazon as an organisation uses it. False: evidence shows Amazon has no such distinction, or uses a framework that contradicts it.

Set before the research began.

1. E1 printmgr file Amazon.com, Inc. (shareholder letter signed by Jeffrey P. Bezos) Own record

   “We can call these Type 1 decisions. But most decisions aren’t like that – they are changeable, reversible – they’re two-way doors. If you’ve made a suboptimal Type 2 decision, you don’t have to live with the consequences for that long.”

2. E2 Elements of Amazon’s Day 1 Culture Amazon Web Services (aws.amazon.com) Own record

   “Another tool we use at Amazon to assist in making high-quality, high velocity decisions is a mental model we call one-way and two-way doors. A one-way door decision is one that has significant and often irrevocable consequences”

3. E3 Leadership Principles Amazon (amazon.jobs) Own record

   “Speed matters in business. Many decisions and actions are reversible and do not need extensive study. We value calculated risk taking.”

4. E4 Amazon’s CISO: Slowing software releases can make you less secure | CTech CTech (Calcalist Tech) · 2 November 2026

   “Amazon has a decision-making model that’s worked really well for us. Two-way-door decisions are ones you can back out of or roll back quickly.”

Amazon's 2015 Letter to Shareholders, signed by Bezos (E1), sets out Type 1 decisions as irreversible and Type 2 decisions as "changeable, reversible – they're two-way doors". This is the exact two-type split the criteria name, and the 2015 letter is one of the sources they list as documented Amazon practice from before the judged date. Amazon's published Leadership Principles (E3) and an AWS page (E2) also describe reversible decisions and a one-way/two-way door model used at Amazon. E2 and E3 are undated, and the CISO interview (E4) comes from 2026, so the timing rests on E1.