Persuasion for Designers
Catt Small
Staff Product Designer with 15+ YOE
A 2-hour workshop on building influence as a seasoned, hands-on designer
Getting past senior is about much more than craft. Execution quality continues to matter, but communication becomes critical in unexpected ways. The designers who ascend to staff and beyond have figured out how to make an impact through others, all without direct authority.
Influence is the key, and the frustrating thing is that nobody teaches it. You either stumble into it through trial and error, or you stay stuck wondering why the right answer keeps losing to a worse one.
In this workshop, we'll make it concrete. You'll learn how influence actually works, how to map the people around you so you know where to invest your energy, and how to communicate in ways that actually move people. You'll leave with a 30-day plan built around your specific situation, including actions you can take next week.
This workshop is for designers who are tired of being correct yet overlooked. If that's you, come ready to do some real thinking. The seat at the table is there. Let's take it!
Workshop agenda
- 12:30 PM
Lesson: Why you don't have influence
Most designers were trained to solve user problems. But at staff and above levels, organizational fluency is just as important.
- 12:50 PM
Lesson: Get to know your org chart
You can't influence people you don't understand. The first step is mapping the terrain of power.
- 1:20 PM
Activity: Power mapping
Identify where you're over-investing and under-investing.
- 1:35 PM
Lesson: How persuasion works
Influence is a learnable set of practices. Let's go through them together!
- 2:00 PM
Activity: Real-world scenarios
Let's try crafting impactful arguments for some real-world situations!
- 2:10 PM
Lesson: Pick your battles
Influence is a finite resource. Staff designers are decisive about which problems they take on.
- 2:20 PM
Activity: 30-day plan
Bring it home with a concrete plan for your next steps.
Learn directly from Catt
Catt Small
Staff Product Designer with 15+ YOE at Etsy, Asana, SoundCloud, & more.
Who this workshop is for
Designers who have been at the same level for years and feel like they should've been promoted by now.
Designers who just got the staff title and are now realizing the job is fundamentally different from what they did before.
First or founding designers who often get overruled or ignored by engineering, product, or the company's founder(s).
What's included
Live sessions
Learn directly from Catt Small in a real-time, interactive format.
Lifetime access
Go back to course content and recordings whenever you need to.
Community of peers
Stay accountable and share insights with like-minded professionals.
Certificate of completion
Share your new skills with your employer or on LinkedIn.
Maven Guarantee
This course is backed by the Maven Guarantee. Students are eligible for a full refund up until the halfway point of the course.
Frequently asked questions
$299
USD