The Unusual Project Management System Notion Uses To Build AI
unBlocked - the podcast for Notion Fans
Deep Dive
What is the unconventional development process used by Notion's AI team?
Notion's AI team prototypes features first to determine if AI can perform the task, then designs the user experience afterward, unlike traditional development where design precedes building.
Why does Notion's AI team prototype features before designing?
The AI technology is new, and the team needs to explore what it can do before committing to a specific design or user experience.
What was a surprising success for Notion's AI team?
The Q&A feature initially integrated into search performed poorly, but when used as a question-answering tool, it became a powerful feature, showcasing AI's strength in answering questions over keyword searches.
How does Notion's AI team manage project management?
Project management varies based on the project's phase. Early exploratory phases use minimal structure with bullet points and checklists, while later stages adopt more structured task databases, milestones, and regular stand-ups.
What is the philosophy behind Notion's AI team's project management?
The team matches project management tools and processes to the lifecycle of the project, avoiding over-structuring in early phases to allow for flexibility and exploration.
What are some of the AI use cases that Shir Yehoshua finds particularly valuable?
Shir uses AI to generate initial drafts of performance reviews by synthesizing feedback and self-assessments, saving time and allowing her to focus on providing more thoughtful feedback.
How does Shir Yehoshua describe the role of AI in her work?
AI handles the manual work, such as aggregating data, so she can focus on the creative aspects of her job, like providing meaningful feedback.
What advice does Shir Yehoshua give for writing effective AI prompts?
Be precise and specific in your prompts to get the desired output. Break down complex tasks into smaller components and focus on AI's strengths in synthesis, restructuring, and searching.
What is the importance of dogfooding at Notion?
Dogfooding allows the team to use their own product, providing immediate feedback and driving improvements, even if the experience is sometimes less polished than that of external users.
Why did Shir Yehoshua join Notion?
She initially dismissed Notion as too large, but after using it to create a job tracker, she was impressed by its functionality and decided to join the company.
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