Strategy and Influence for Product Designers

4.7 (7)

·

4 Weeks

·

Cohort-based Course

Become a strategic partner by connecting design with business, driving discovery, and crafting compelling narratives that build alignment.

Previously at

ConvertKit
PandaDoc
TIME
Smile
Toptal

Course overview

From pixel pusher to design leader

Feeling stuck in a role where you’re merely executing someone else’s ideas? Ready to move beyond just moving pixels and start leading the charge in shaping product strategy? Unsure how to make that next jump in your product design career?


This course is your blueprint for making that leap—from being perceived as a pixel pusher to becoming a strategic partner and design leader.


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What You’ll Gain:


• A path to promotion: Build the skills that get you noticed—and promoted. Learn how to align your design work with business objectives, influence product direction, and lead strategic conversations that drive decision-making.


• Practical tools for immediate impact: Get templates, frameworks, and real-world strategies that you can apply immediately to increase your influence and visibility within your organisation.


• Confidence to lead: Whether leading product discovery sessions, presenting your work to stakeholders, or managing cross-functional teams, you'll develop the confidence and skills to lead with authority.


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This course is for ambitious designers who want to:


Communicate the value of their work:

• Learn how to articulate the impact of your designs in ways that resonate with stakeholders.

• Master frameworks and templates to showcase your work’s alignment with business goals.

• Gain tips for advocating for your work and driving its recognition.


Lead product discovery sessions:

• Understand how leading discovery can fast-track your career growth.

• Use a proven discovery template to uncover actionable insights.

• Get practical advice for running discovery sessions that lead to real outcomes.


Present their work with conviction:

• Use my versatile presentation structure to craft compelling narratives.

• Cut through the noise of storytelling advice to use a tried and tested framework to communicate your work.

• Request structured feedback in ways that improve your designs and your reputation.

• Get access to the slide deck I used to land my last role.


Shape the future of their product:

• Learn stakeholder management strategies and frameworks.

• Practical advice for aligning leadership, planning workshops and driving a cohesive product vision.

• A three-part framework to transform your role.


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Is this course right for you?


This course is perfect for product designers ready to take control of their careers, get promoted, and make a real impact.

However, it might not be the right fit if:


• You’re looking for design tool instruction: This isn’t a Figma tutorial or a beginner’s guide to design.

• You’ve never worked in a design role: This course assumes you have some design experience.

• You’re not in the tech industry: Our focus is on tech-driven product design.


————


Ready to take the next step in your design career? Enrol now to start your transformation into a design leader.

Who is this course for

01

Aspiring design leaders: For designers aiming to transition into leadership roles, seeking to increase their influence.

02

Ambitious designers: Junior to mid-level designers aspiring to senior and beyond roles, eager to be seen as strategic partners.

03

Overlooked design teams: Where advocacy is critical to elevate the role of design within product and engineering-led organisations.

What you’ll get out of this course

Showing value and connecting your work to business goals

Learn to connect your design work to business objectives, speak the language of stakeholders, and demonstrate tangible value.

  • Frameworks to help understand the business environment.
  • Templates to communicate your projects.
  • Tips for advocating for your work.

Drive product discovery

Ensure you solve the right problems with the right solutions. Gather insights, validate assumptions, and lead discovery sessions that engage cross-functional teams.

  • Templates, tips and tricks for running discovery sessions with practical outcomes.

Showcase your work

Present your designs in a way that leads the conversation and drives decision-making.

  • A versatile template for presenting your work.
  • Adapting storytelling frameworks to design work.
  • A template for requesting structured feedback.


Position yourself as a key strategic player 

Transform your role from executing tasks to building alignment and mapping out the future of the product. Gain the skills to influence product direction.

  • Stakeholder management frameworks and tactics.
  • A structured process for approaching alignment and vision work.

This course includes

8 interactive live sessions

Lifetime access to course materials

12 in-depth lessons

Direct access to instructor

4 projects to apply learnings

Guided feedback & reflection

Private community of peers

Course certificate upon completion

Maven Satisfaction Guarantee

This course is backed by Maven’s guarantee. You can receive a full refund within 14 days after the course ends, provided you meet the completion criteria in our refund policy.

Course syllabus

Week 1

Mar 3—Mar 9

    Mar

    3

    Communicating the value of your work

    Mon 3/35:30 PM—7:00 PM (UTC)

    Communicating the value of design

    4 items

    Mar

    6

    Optional: Week 1 Q&A

    Thu 3/65:30 PM—6:15 PM (UTC)
    Optional

Week 2

Mar 10—Mar 16

    Mar

    10

    Leading effective product discovery

    Mon 3/105:30 PM—7:00 PM (UTC)

    Mar

    13

    Optional: Week 2 Q&A

    Thu 3/135:30 PM—6:15 PM (UTC)
    Optional

    Owning product discovery

    4 items

Week 3

Mar 17—Mar 23

    Mar

    17

    Sharing your designs for maximum impact

    Mon 3/175:30 PM—7:00 PM (UTC)

    Sharing your work to maximise impact

    4 items

    Mar

    20

    Optional: Week 3 Q&A

    Thu 3/205:30 PM—6:15 PM (UTC)
    Optional

Week 4

Mar 24—Mar 28

    Mar

    24

    Transitioning to a strategic partner

    Mon 3/245:30 PM—7:00 PM (UTC)

    From pixel pusher to strategic partner

    4 items

    Mar

    27

    Optional: Week 4 Q&A and wrap up

    Thu 3/275:30 PM—6:15 PM (UTC)
    Optional

4.7 (7 ratings)

What students are saying

Meet your instructor

Dan Winer

Dan Winer

Transform your career with insights from a seasoned design leader

I've worked in the design industry for over 17 years. During the last decade, I've led design and research teams and helped product designers achieve their best work.


As a product designer and UX manager, I've driven the design strategy for various startups and established companies, ensuring alignment between design and business goals.


This course is the culmination of years of experience and knowledge. It will serve as a practical toolkit to help you excel in your career and make a meaningful impact in the industry.

A pattern of wavy dots

Join an upcoming cohort

Strategy and Influence for Product Designers

Spring 2025

$649

Dates

Mar 3—28, 2025

Payment Deadline

Mar 2, 2025
Get reimbursed

Course schedule

4-6 hours per week

  • Every Monday

    12:30pm - 2:00pm EST

    Live sessions will be held to discuss the modules' content, visualize the frameworks, and answer questions.

  • Weekly projects

    1 optional project per week

    Completing the projects before the end of the week Q&A sessions will help you identify areas where you want more context and feedback.

  • Every Friday

    12:30pm - 1:15pm EST

    A Q&A session to go through any questions you might have about the course content and the projects.

Learning is better with cohorts

Learning is better with cohorts

Active hands-on learning

This course builds on live workshops and hands-on projects

Interactive and project-based

You’ll be interacting with other learners through breakout rooms and project teams

Learn with a cohort of peers

Join a community of like-minded people who want to learn and grow alongside you

Frequently Asked Questions

A pattern of wavy dots

Join an upcoming cohort

Strategy and Influence for Product Designers

Spring 2025

$649

Dates

Mar 3—28, 2025

Payment Deadline

Mar 2, 2025
Get reimbursed

$649

4.7 (7)

·

4 Weeks