Developing a Product Process for Notion

For this assignment, I am assuming the role of Chief Product Officer at a consumer software company similar to Notion - a place I would love to join post-GSB. To ground the process, I will illustrate an example of launching a hypothetical product, "Notion Knowledge Agents," where users can turn parts of their Notion workspace into AI-driven knowledge bases that others can pay to access.

1. Idea Generation & Prioritization

A. Authentic Sourcing

We begin by ensuring every proposed insight is championed by someone with a tangible, authentic connection to the problem space. Authenticity means:

• Personal Experience: The champion has directly felt the pain point or repeatedly seen it in their environment.
• Domain Expertise: They understand the relevant technology and user personas deeply, which often hints they have an "unfair" perspective.
• Genuine Enthusiasm: They are mission-driven rather than mercenary. This passion helps sustain momentum through inevitable challenges.

B. Tech Inflection (Ideally Non-ConsensusDrawing from Howard Marks who believes that being non-consensus and right is the only way to generate superior returns in investing.)

We focus on technology-based inflection points because these shifts tend to create brand-new product possibilities.

• If the champion's proposal is purely reliant on a social or behavioral trend without underlying technological change, I'm cautious about devoting resources to a fully new product.
• Conversely, if the technology (e.g., powerful LLMs) is at a tipping point, we see an opening to create something truly distinctive.

C. Consensus Filtering & Disruption Check

I as CPO gather one engineering leader, one business leader, and one design leader for quick one-on-one discussions rather than a group meeting (to minimize groupthink).

• If all three rave about it, the idea may be too consensus. If at least one or two are intrigued while another is dubious, that's typically a green light for deeper testing.

Time Check: This initial vetting usually spans 1–2 weeks of discussions.

We also give special weight to ideas showing signs of disruptive potentialAccording to Clayton Christensen Disruptive Innovation describes a process by which a product or service takes root in simple applications at the bottom of the market - typically by being less expensive and more accessible -and then relentlessly moves upmarket, eventually displacing established competitors. (new-market or low-end). If it's possible to serve an underserved or non-consuming audience in a simpler, cheaper, or more convenient way, that's a significant differentiator.

2. Small, Focused Team Formation

Once the idea clears the initial filters, I form a lean, cross-functional "insight team." Typically, it includes:

1. The Champion (who has authenticity and passion),
2. One Engineer (capable of quick prototypes and feasibility checks),
3. One Business/Go-to-Market lead (to shape pricing models and market experiments).

This team's mandate is to learn swiftly rather than execute a predefined plan.

3. Articulating the Value Hypothesis

A. Building a Short, Structured Brief

At this stage, the team documents a concise 1–2 page overview:

• What? Identify the core job to be done and how the product addresses it.
• Who? Pinpoint a narrow initial user segment. In a consumer context, this might involve demographics or a specific user persona. Importantly, aim for early adopters who are desperate enough to try incomplete solutions. Need is insufficient, desperation is key.
• How? Propose a working business model that might serve as the initial monetization approach. The question is: "How do we charge?" - subscription, transaction fee, usage fee, or otherwise?

B. Leap-of-Faith Assumption

They then clarify the single biggest assumption that has to prove true for the product to succeed. Often, it's something about user willingness to pay, or consistent usage patterns. If this assumption fails, the entire idea collapses.

4. Concept Test vs. Implementation Phase

At this point, the team needs to decide whether to build a quick MVP or start with a concept test - depending on feasibility and time/cost constraints.

A. The Concept Test (If MVP Is Too Costly or Time-Consuming)

• Typically consists of a landing page or a short video pitch. We use signups, waitlists, or pre-order deposit requests to gauge real interest.
• If user engagement is weak, we might change the "who" or refine the messaging. This phase often lasts about two weeks.

B. The Implementation Phase

• This might involve building out a "concierge" approach or partial functionality that manually simulates some parts of the product to gather data.

5. MVP Build & Early Rollout

A. Building a Bare-Bones MVP

If the concept resonates, we proceed to a bare-bones MVP that delivers only the critical features needed to validate the leap-of-faith assumption. We keep scope tight to avoid wasted effort. The champion and engineer collaborate to prioritize must-have functionality, focusing on the key job to be done.

B. Targeted Rollout & Real Usage

We launch the MVP to a small set of potential early adopters—ideally, a curated group that's predisposed to test new features. We then observe behavioral metrics:

• Retention: Do testers continue to use or pay for the product once initial novelty wears off?
• Referrals: Are early adopters spontaneously recommending it to peers (organic word-of-mouth)?
• Willingness to Pay: Do they subscribe

6. Implementation & Iteration

A. Daily Tracking & User Interviews

• The champion team checks usage logs daily, looking for drop-off points.
• They also conduct short user interviews or "follow me home" sessions to understand friction. They might incorporate the "5 Whys" method to dig deeper into user complaints or confusion.
• Savoring the Surprise: Actively look for unexpected pockets of strong usage or novel use-cases. If a user group you never considered loves the product, double down on that audience instead of trying to fix the "bad" or chase an indifferent group. This "surprise" often reveals the real desperation or best fit - embrace it even if it changes initial assumptions.
• Detailed Logging: Keep records of user comments, usage spikes, or friction episodes. Surprises typically show up as anomalies or unusual patterns in user behavior.

B. Adapting the "Who"

• If advanced creators turn out to be lukewarm, we might pivot to a different user group (e.g., coaches, domain experts, or small businesses).
• We do not rewrite the entire product's "what" at this point; we just reexamine the target segment or distribution strategy.

7. Determining Product-Market Fit

We give each new initiative a 3-month total runway to demonstrate meaningful traction:

A. The Hunt for Exponential Organic Growth

The clearest sign of product-market fit in a consumer or prosumer context is explosive growth driven by word-of-mouth and retention. No amount of paid acquisition can replicate the signal that customers themselves find the product valuable enough to tell others about it.

B. Behavioral & Revenue Metrics

We review:

• Retention: Are the same users returning consistently over multiple weeks or months?
• Referrals: How many net new users came from existing users?

C. Pivot or Stop

• If, after repeated iteration on the "who" or distribution model, usage remains tepid and there is no surprising bright spot, we shut down the project.
• If we see an enthusiastic, sticky group with high word-of-mouth, we double down on that market and expand with a bowling pin strategyThe "bowling pin" strategy in the technology adoption cycle refers to a method of targeting a specific market segment (the "head pin") to gain traction and then leverage that success to attract more customers (the "other pins")..