Why cultivating agency matters more than cultivating skills in the AI era | Max Schoening (Head of Product, Notion)

Max Schoening emphasizes that in the age of AI, the differentiator for individuals and teams will be agency rather than skills alone. Agency refers to the ability to influence, change, and manipulate the environment or tools at one's disposal. He illustrates how high agency manifests in employees at Notion who actively contribute, innovate, and shape the product beyond traditional roles. Schoening advocates for cultivating a mindset of ownership and proactive impact, suggesting that those with true agency will thrive as AI tools automate and democratize skill-driven tasks.

The episode explores how AI has shifted the initial phase of product development, making the first 10% of any project 'free' and easy through AI-assisted prototyping and idea generation. Schoening introduces his 'tiny core' theory, highlighting that successful products often hinge on a single, exceptionally strong feature or idea—like multi-touch on iPhone or GitHub’s pull request—which becomes the core around which all other features revolve. This insight encourages focusing on a singular, powerful value proposition rather than stacking features.

Max critiques the common fears surrounding the SaaSpocalypse, arguing that the growth of software and AI does not herald an impending collapse, but rather an opportunity. He notes that despite the explosion in software quantity, quality has lagged, creating an opportunity for builders to improve reliability and craftsmanship. Schoening also discusses malleable software—software that is customizable and owned by users—as a key future trend, enabling individuals to tailor tools to their needs and exert control over their digital environment.

The conversation touches on the evolving roles in product teams, emphasizing the blurring of lines between designers, engineers, and PMs. Schoening advocates for role malleability and warns against losing specialized craftsmanship in this merging process. A strong focus is placed on developing taste—an intuitive sense of what is good or effective—through iterative practice, feedback, building side projects, and exposure to high-quality design. Taste is described as a mental 'virtual machine' that predicts how ideas will resonate with different audiences.

Max highlights the importance of shipping quickly and the concept of 'shots on goal,' encouraging teams to experiment frequently with fewer, high-quality features. He advises that products should focus on what is obviously good—features that are intuitively valuable—rather than over-engineering or piling on unnecessary additions. The episode also discusses maintaining quality amidst rapid shipping and the challenge of breaking free from mediocre software quality to achieve that 'Apple-like' mastery.

The discussion explores how AI will transform roles beyond engineering, such as marketing, growth, and sales, by automating mundane tasks and enabling new possibilities. Schoening believes the progress in AI, especially in coding, indicates an ongoing exponential improvement that will accelerate software at all levels of business. He also comments on the importance of having multiple leading AI labs to prevent centralization of power and to foster competition, innovation, and diversity.

Max delves into cultivating good taste, advocating for continuous iterations and exposure to high-quality designs and tools. He references Dieter Rams’ critique of design and emphasizes that products should be useful first, beautiful second—values inspired by timeless craftsmanship and the ability to modify or adapt designs over time. The notion of malleable, adaptive environments—whether in physical spaces or software—is central to creating meaningful, enduring products.

Max encourages listeners to focus on passion and agency rather than chasing trends or superficial success. He advocates for work on things that matter deeply to oneself, working diligently in early life stages, and maintaining perspective on history and society. His overarching message is to build confidence in one’s ability to effect change and to enjoy the journey, not just the results.