How Notion pulled itself back from the brink of failure | Figma Blog
Notion nearly failed in 2015 because its original product and technology stack did not match what users wanted. Founders Ivan Zhao and Simon Last moved to Kyoto, rebuilt the product from scratch, and used an intensive, collaborative design process to create Notion 1.0. The relaunch succeeded because it combined powerful customization with a simple, approachable user experience. ## Rebuilding Notion from the Brink - Notion’s first version was a programming-oriented tool intended to help nontechnical users build software. - The founders realized they had focused on their own vision rather than customer needs. - With funding running low, they dismissed their team, sublet their office, and relocated to Kyoto to reduce expenses and concentrate on rebuilding. - Zhao spent as many as 18 hours a day designing and iterating on the new product. - The mission remained the same: enable people to create tools tailored to their own problems without writing code. ## Collaborative Design Under Pressure - Zhao and Last worked closely across design and engineering, switching roles as needed. - Figma’s multiplayer capabilities allowed them to work in the same files simultaneously, brainstorm quickly, and explore product problems together. - This collaboration helped them move faster during their year-long rebuild. - Notion 1.0 launched in March 2018 and quickly reached the top of Product Hunt. - The product later reached one million users with only seed funding and earned praise for its user experience. ## Simplicity Despite Powerful Features - Notion’s new-user home screen was intentionally minimal, using a small set of simple icons. - Its visual style drew inspiration from classic interfaces, including Susan Kare’s iconography and the look of Windows 95. - Zhao argues that design is central because users value how a daily tool feels, just as they care about the physical qualities of a hammer or knife. - The product’s challenge was to make extensive functionality feel approachable rather than overwhelming. ## Create Many Variations, Then Choose One - Zhao repeatedly duplicated user flows and changed small details such as icons, wording, and layout. - Notion’s broader philosophy is to explore many permutations before selecting the strongest solution. - Team members are encouraged to produce rough drafts, including unconventional or bad ideas, instead of committing too early. - Designers, copywriters, engineers, and illustrators all use this iterative approach. - Teammates then critique and stress-test the alternatives, narrowing them down to the best option. - Zhao credits this process with helping create Notion’s distinctive brand. ## Design as a Thinking Tool - Notion treats design as part of the thinking process, not merely as a final production stage. - The team develops ideas visually in Figma from the beginning, using it as a flexible scratchpad. - This design-centered approach extends across the small company, involving more than just dedicated designers. Notion’s recovery demonstrates how a failing product can be transformed by listening more closely to users, rebuilding around their needs, and creating space for rapid, collaborative experimentation. Teams facing similar pressure can benefit from exploring many options early, testing them together, and protecting simplicity even when the underlying product is powerful.
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