1.1Discovering Notion: pages & blocks
The essentials in 30 seconds
- Pages + blocks: pages nest infinitely (wiki tree) and everything is a block (text, heading, image, list, embed).
- The « / » command: typing « / » inserts any block from the keyboard — faster than the mouse — then drag and drop to reorganise.
- Notion = living brain: ideal for notes, documentation and wikis; fixed deliverables for printing stay the job of a word processor.
Running mini-case — Lina, digitalisation officer in Oran
Lina, digitalisation officer in a services SME in Oran, inherits meeting notes scattered across e-mails, Word files and messages. She creates a Notion space called «Digital Office», opens one page per file, structures each page into blocks (headings, bulleted lists, checkboxes, callouts for decisions) and organises the sub-pages into a tree. Within a week, her team finally knows where to look for information.
This same case returns in the lesson, the diagram, the script and the 48h challenge — and continues in 1.2, 1.3 and 1.4.
1. Pages and blocks: the basic logic
Notion brings notes, documents, wikis and databases together in one space. Its logic rests on two concepts: pages (which can contain others infinitely, forming a tree) and blocks. In Notion, everything is a block: paragraph, heading, image, list, checkbox, table, embed.
Lina opens a «Digitalisation follow-up» page, then sub-pages per project: she thinks in «nested pages» rather than «file folders», and each meeting becomes a dated sub-page.
2. The « / » command and drag and drop
Type « / » to insert any type of block (/heading, /list, /todo, /callout, /image, /embed), and reorganise them by drag and drop. Callouts highlight key points (decisions, alerts), toggles hide/show details, columns structure the layout, embeds integrate external content (YouTube video, PDF).
Lina types «/callout» to frame each meeting decision and drags an embed of the PDF presentation into the project page: everything is done from the keyboard, without leaving Notion.
3. An excellent no-code entry point
This flexibility makes Notion an ideal gateway into no-code: you build a workspace (notes, documentation, knowledge base) with no technical setup. You learn to structure information with nested pages and blocks — the foundation before the real power: databases (next section).
Lina keeps fixed documents for printing in her usual word processor: Notion is her living collective brain, not her pixel-perfect layout tool.
🔎 Concrete example — 🔎 Concrete example — Building a page
Everything is done from the keyboard.
Type « / » → pick a block:
/heading, /list, /todo, /callout, /image, /embed
Drag and drop to reorganise.
Creating a sub-page = tree structure (wiki).Reading: Lina frames each decision in a callout and embeds the PDF.
Lesson: think «nested pages» rather than «file folders».
Section vocabulary
- Page
- A Notion content unit, which can contain others (sub-pages) and form a wiki-like tree.
Simple example: Lina's «Digitalisation follow-up» page and its sub-pages per project.
What it is not: an isolated Word file in a folder, with no link to the others.
Reflex: one page per file, sub-pages per project.
- Block
- The basic element of a Notion page (text, heading, image, list, todo, embed): everything in Notion is a block.
Simple example: The «Decision» callout Lina inserts in her meeting notes.
What it is not: a spreadsheet cell or a slide.
Reflex: everything is inserted and moved by block.
- « / » command
- Notion shortcut: typing «/» opens the menu for inserting any type of block.
Simple example: Lina types «/callout» to frame a decision.
What it is not: hunting for each feature with the mouse in the menus.
Reflex: «/» first, mouse second.
- Callout / Toggle
- Formatting blocks: callout (highlighted box) and toggle (collapsible block for hiding/showing).
Simple example: The «Decision» callout and the «Details» toggle in Lina's pages.
What it is not: pixel-perfect layout for printing.
Reflex: callout for what matters, toggle for detail.
- Embed
- A block embedding external content (video, PDF, Figma file…) directly in a page.
Simple example: The YouTube video and PDF embedded in Lina's project pages.
What it is not: a plain text link to a file lost elsewhere.
Reflex: embed, don't scatter.
In practice — In practice — Getting started with pages and blocks
- Create a Notion account and a first page (personal space); give it a title and an icon.
- Type «/» to insert different blocks: heading, bulleted list, checkbox, callout, image.
- Create a sub-page inside the page (tree structure) and reorganise blocks by drag and drop.
- Add an embed (a YouTube video or a PDF) and test the column layout.
Ready-to-say script — proposing Notion to your team (30 s)
«I suggest we store our meeting notes in a shared Notion space: one page per file, sub-pages per project, and decisions framed in callouts. Everyone keeps their own account, we manage rights per page — and nothing confidential on a public link.»
To say in a team meeting; create the shared space (workspace) before proposing it.
Copy-paste template — Notion space structure
SPACE: _______________ (e.g. Digital Office)
FILE PAGE: _______________
SUB-PAGES: _______________ | _______________ | _______________
BLOCKS PER PAGE: headings [ ] | lists [ ] | todos [ ] | decision callout [ ]
EMBED: _______________ (video / PDF)
SHARING: workspace [ ] | rights per page [ ] | public link: NO for confidential [ ]Beginner in a hurry
Do not structure everything at once: one page, three blocks («/»), one sub-page — Lina started with a single project before scaling up.
Team in Oran
Lina creates a shared workspace for her team and manages permissions per page: everyone has their own account, everyone sees what they need to see.
Large volume of notes
One dated page per meeting + toggles for details: the page stays readable even with ten stacked meeting notes.
Document for printing
If the deliverable must be printed pixel-perfect (official report): draft in Notion, apply the final formatting in a classic word processor.
✓ Best practices
- Use «/» to insert everything.
- Think in nested pages (wiki).
- Fixed documents → word processor.
✗ Common pitfalls
- Confidential material on a public link.
- Pixel-perfect layout.
- Stopping at blocks, ignoring databases.
Key takeaways
- Notion brings notes, docs, wikis and databases together in a single space.
- Two key concepts: pages (tree) and blocks (everything is a block).
- The «/» command inserts any type of block; reorganise by drag and drop.
- Ideal no-code entry point: structuring information with no technical setup.
48h challenge — apply it tomorrow
Create your «Digital Office» page (template above): a title, three blocks via «/», one sub-page and one embed. 20 minutes is enough.
- I can explain pages (tree) + blocks (everything is a block).
- I know how to insert via «/» and reorganise by drag and drop.
- I created my page + one sub-page + one embed.
Frequently asked questions
Can Notion replace Word, Google Docs and a wiki at the same time?
For many uses, yes: Notion is excellent for living documentation, notes, team wikis and knowledge bases, with organisation by nested pages far superior to a folder of Word files. It is less suited to the fine layout of a document for printing (millimetre-perfect report, mail merge), where Word keeps the edge. In practice, use Notion as a collective brain (everything that lives and gets updated) and a classic word processor for fixed deliverables. Its real strength, beyond docs, is databases.
Do all my colleagues need an account to see my pages?
To collaborate (edit, comment), yes: everyone needs an account and must be invited to the workspace. But you can also share a page publicly in read-only mode via a link («Share to the web»): anyone with the link can view it without an account, like a mini-site. Be careful then not to expose anything confidential. For a structured team space with rights, create a shared workspace and manage permissions per page. Free plans already cover personal and small-team use.
What is the logic of Notion based on?