Strategy and Influence for Product Designers

4.7 (11)

·

4 Weeks

·

Cohort-based Course

Build confidence, drive business impact, and become a strategic partner, not just a design executor.

Previously at

ConvertKit
PandaDoc
TIME
Smile
Toptal

Course overview

From pixel pusher to design leader

Stuck executing other people’s ideas? Wondering how to move beyond the work and into product strategy? Not sure how to take the next step in your design career?


This course is your blueprint for transitioning from executor to strategic partner: someone who influences product direction, not just UI.


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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 work with business goals, influence decisions, and lead with clarity.


• Practical tools for immediate impact: Get real-world frameworks and templates you can apply right away to make better decisions, communicate value, and influence direction.


• Confidence to lead: Whether it’s running discovery, presenting to stakeholders, or shaping strategy, you’ll build the confidence to lead with impact.


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This course is for ambitious designers who want to:


Communicate the value of their work:

• Learn how to explain the impact of your designs in terms stakeholders care about.

• Use practical templates to link your work to business goals.

• Get strategies for advocating effectively and gaining recognition.


Lead product discovery sessions:

• See how leading discovery can accelerate your growth.

• Use a clear framework to uncover insights and shape product direction.

• Get tips for running lightweight but effective discovery sessions.



Present their work with conviction:

• Follow a practical structure to tell clear, compelling stories.

• Focus on the “what, why, and impact” without the fluff.

• Use my proven slides and feedback techniques to improve both your work and your reputation.



Shape the future of their product:

• Use stakeholder management frameworks to build alignment.

• Learn how to lead workshops and define a shared product vision.

• Apply a three-step process to become a trusted strategic partner.



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Why this course is worth it


You won’t just watch content, you’ll apply it to your real work.


Each week, you’ll complete a focused project using the templates and frameworks provided, then get direct, personalised feedback from a design director.


You’ll leave with:

• Tangible outputs you can use at work to drive alignment and influence decisions

• Confidence to speak the language of the business and lead conversations

• A strategic mindset that sets you apart from execution-focused designers


This is not a theory-only course. You’ll be doing real work, with real guidance, and building skills you can use immediately.



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Perfect for:

Product designers who want to take control of their careers, get promoted, and make a bigger impact.



Not right if:

• You’re looking for tutorials for tools like Figma.

• You’ve never worked in a product design role.

• You’re outside the tech industry. This course focuses on digital product teams.


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Ready to grow your impact and confidence? Enrol now and take the first step toward becoming a trusted 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.

Prerequisites

  • Experience in product design

    You have at least 1–2 years working as a product or UX designer in a tech company or startup.

  • Not for beginners

    This course isn’t for those new to UX or still learning the basics; it’s for designers ready to take their skills to the next level.

  • Looking to grow your strategic impact

    You want to move beyond execution and learn how to influence product direction and business outcomes.

What you’ll get out of this course

Showing value and connecting your work to business goals

Learn to tie your design decisions to business outcomes and speak in terms stakeholders care about.

  • Use frameworks to unpack how your company works and where design fits in.
  • Communicate clearly with practical templates.
  • Tips for building influence and advocating effectively.

Drive product discovery

Become the expert your team turns to for clarity and direction.

  • Use discovery to connect design work to business goals.
  • Run lightweight, effective sessions that help your team make smarter decisions.
  • Use frameworks and templates to turn messy ideas into meaningful insight.

Showcase your work

Present your work in a way that builds trust and drives decision-making.

  • Use a flexible structure to frame the problem, solution, and impact.
  • Adapt storytelling techniques to clarify your thinking.
  • Request structured feedback that improves your work and reputation.

Position yourself as a key strategic player 

Shift from task executor to strategic partner.

  • Use stakeholder frameworks to build alignment and drive product direction.
  • Apply a structured approach to shaping vision and influencing outcomes at a higher level.

What’s included

Dan Winer

Live sessions

Learn directly from Dan Winer 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.

Practical templates and frameworks

Get a toolkit of ready-to-use templates and frameworks you can apply immediately in your day-to-day work.

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.

Course syllabus

4 live sessions • 12 lessons • 4 projects

Week 1

Sep 15—Sep 21

    Communicating the value of design

    4 items

    Sep

    17

    Week 1 Q&A

    Wed 9/174:30 PM—6:00 PM (UTC)
    Optional

Week 2

Sep 22—Sep 28

    Owning product discovery

    4 items

    Sep

    24

    Week 2 Q&A

    Wed 9/244:30 PM—6:00 PM (UTC)
    Optional

Week 3

Sep 29—Oct 5

    Sharing your work to maximise impact

    4 items

    Oct

    1

    Week 3 Q&A

    Wed 10/14:30 PM—6:00 PM (UTC)
    Optional

Week 4

Oct 6—Oct 10

    Leading with alignment and clarity

    4 items

    Oct

    8

    Week 4 Q&A and wrap up

    Wed 10/84:30 PM—6:00 PM (UTC)
    Optional

4.7 (11 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 brings together the most effective strategies, tools, and lessons I’ve used to help designers grow, get promoted, and lead with confidence. 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

Fall 2025

$980

Dates

Sep 15—Oct 10, 2025

Payment Deadline

Sep 14, 2025
Get reimbursed

Course schedule

4-6 hours per week

  • Weekly projects

    1 optional project per week

    Each project gives you hands-on practice applying a core concept to your real work. These are not just exercises; you’ll leave with assets you can reuse, share, and build on to demonstrate impact and move your career forward.


  • Every Wednesday

    12:30pm - 2:00pm EST

    Each Q&A is a live working session where you’ll get direct feedback, unpack tough challenges, and apply course lessons to your actual context. It’s personalised support, not just theory.

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

Fall 2025

$980

Dates

Sep 15—Oct 10, 2025

Payment Deadline

Sep 14, 2025
Get reimbursed

$980

4.7 (11)

·

4 Weeks