Notion · Strategy · Senior · 45 to 60 minutes

How should Notion find its wedge?

Notion is a flexible workspace that lets people create notes, documents, databases, wikis, and workflows in one product. Answer this product management case and get it graded line by line against a weighted rubric.

Strategic thinking
Market segmentation
GTM design
Product judgment
Metrics

The situation

You are a senior PM working with Ivan Zhao and Simon Last as Notion prepares its next phase after a difficult reset. The team still believes in a big vision, software that people can shape for themselves without code, but that story has been too broad for the market. Early versions were powerful but hard to position, and the team has limited time and money after rebuilding the product foundation. Now leadership needs a sharper plan for what Notion should be first, who it should serve first, and how it should grow without relying on a large sales force or heavy paid marketing. Your job is to recommend the initial wedge and go to market strategy. The decision is hard because Notion can serve many jobs, from personal organization to team collaboration to creator use cases, and its flexibility is both a strength and a source of complexity. A narrow wedge may unlock adoption, but could also box the company into a smaller market or weaken the long term mission. A broad pitch fits the vision, but risks confusing users and slowing growth.

What to produce

Write a 1 to 2 page strategy memo for the leadership team.

Your answer must

Recommend one primary entry point for the product, including target user, core job to be done, and why this wedge is the best starting point now.
Compare at least two credible alternative wedges and explain the tradeoffs, including how each affects long term positioning.
Propose a go to market motion for the first 12 months, including how product led, community led, bottom up, and any sales assisted elements should be sequenced.
Name the product experiences that matter most to make the strategy work, such as onboarding, collaboration, sharing, or reusable setup patterns.
Define success metrics, leading indicators, and decision points that would tell the team to double down, adjust, or change course.

Constraints

Assume the team is small, seed funded, and cannot support a large outbound sales motion or a broad paid acquisition program.
The recommendation must preserve the long term vision of user shaped tools, not just optimize for a single narrow utility.
The product is flexible but can feel overwhelming, so the plan must address complexity and time to first value.

Format

Use sections: recommendation, alternatives considered, go to market plan, product implications, metrics and risks.

How Notion actually played it

Covers Notion's everything workspace, near failure, bundling, and growth motions across product-led and community.

Bundle tools into one workspace
Nearly failing teaches focus
Mix product-led and community growth

Built from How Notion Grows by Jaryd Hermann (How They Grow).