How I Work
5 Steps to Building a Scalable Notion Workspace that Tells the Story of your Work
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Notion is a great place to build a home for all the processes that you need to track, store and share, in a way where everything can talk to each other. If you’d like to ditch your clunky spreadsheets and docs and want better for your work, you can try it for free here*.
Building a Notion workspace can however be a bit daunting. Since 2020, I’ve been helping intentional thinkers and brands build Notion workspaces that they actually want to log into, that are equally beautiful as they are functional.
Unlike traditional project management software e.g. Asana, ClickUp etc, Notion allows you to tailor-make a platform that fits and scales with your specific needs. If the foundations aren’t solid and you haven’t thought about how you’re using the space, before you start building it, the home you build will be useless. This is why I advise following a bottom-up approach:
Step One
Discovery
Think of designing Notion as designing your dream home, with me as your experienced architect & guide.
As your Notion partner & guide, I’ll help you dissect your workflows and existing Notion templates/documents and map out an intentional ecosystem that helps you reach your best state of flow.
What ARE your processes? What no longer sparks joy? Are you actually sure you care about tracking that thing, or did you just see it in a YouTube video?
At this stage, do a cross-section of your processes and figure out what you need to track, store and share. The aim is to only build what you need — down to the properties in your databases. Anything else is noise and will bloat your workspace.
🏠 From a spatial/interior design point of view…
👩🏽💻 The technical parts
Step Two
Architecture
Based on your needs defined in Discovery, the goal is to build a database ‘mission control’ for your Notion workspace.
What do you need to track, store or share to be successful in your flow? How can we break this down into data that speaks to each other so that everything is coming from a single source of truth?
At this stage, construct your databases using relations, rollups and database automations where necessary. Put all your original databases in a database page with the views you might need. To save time, if we are working together, we will likely modify the existing back-end of the base template
🏠 From a spatial/interior design point of view…
👩🏽💻 The technical parts
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Step Three
Template & Dashboard Page Design
At this point, we can start creating pages and layouts based on the architecture we’ve created.
What does the perfect page look and feel like to you? How can we reduce manual work so that you don’t have to set things up manually every time? What is the information you need to see everyday? How do you need to see it? Where do you need to see it? Who gets access? How can we bring in your personal aesthetic so this is something you actually want to use ?
First, we construct your database templates, using self-referencing filters where necessary.
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Following this, we design your dashboards using linked database views and easy data input areas- remember to label your sidebar!
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Essentially, we’re creating contextual homes for the data in your system by putting it where you need to see it & when you need to see it.
🏠 From a spatial/interior design point of view…
👩🏽💻 The technical parts
Step Four
Onboarding
When the workspace is ready to handover, we will conduct a full workspace walkthrough, where you will be able to ask questions
🏠 From a spatial/interior design point of view…
👩🏽💻 The technical parts
Step Five
Adjustments
The great thing about Notion is that it’s completely flexible. You are free to add/take away modules based on your needs.
🏠 From a spatial/interior design point of view…
👩🏽💻 The technical parts
FAQs
What is my approach to Notion consulting?
The benefits of building your Notion intentionally
My inspirations?
What can we build?
I could just get a template?
Why is the process so detailed?
About Me
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Creating cultures of intention with beautiful & bespoke Notion systems that make you go 'aaah' when you log in.
Hi, I'm Frances Odera Matthews, Founder of The Notion Bar & Certified Notion Consultant/Template Designer since 2020, working remotely from London, UK.
As a top Notion Expert and seasoned design-thinker , I operate at the intersection of systems, design thinking, and behavioral psychology, with 10 years of experience untangling chaos in creative industries.
My services have helped 150+ innovators & dreamers like you tap into their ‘Big Notion Energy’. I’ve also helped 1000s more with my monthly academy, newsletter, workshops & resources.
Together, we'll reclaim hours of your life by streamlining your siloed workstreams. Let's revolutionise your agency, coaching practice, mission-led brand/startup, or VC by breathing life into your dull processes, spreadsheets, and documents - transforming them into inspiring virtual ecosystems.
More importantly, we'll craft a system that 'tells the story of your work' - see the information you need to see, when you need to see it and where you need to see it.
If you're ready to break up with burnout & and explore the freedom of a connected digital sanctuary…
Success Stories
