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Staff Designer — Lead and Influence as an Individual Contributor

Catt Small
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Catt Small
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Workshop includes:

  • 🍵 Tea, coffee, snacks, and drinks available all day
  • 🥪 Delicious lunch included

Full-day workshop • Monday, October 12, 2026.

Identify and navigate the roadblocks that keep most senior designers from getting to the next level, with guidance from someone who's been there. You'll discover and practice techniques and tactics to become a more impactful, influential, and strategic individual contributor and leader.

This workshop will equip you with the tools to solve your career challenges and reap the rewards! Catt is the author of The Staff Designer, a book on how to lead and influence as an individual contributor.

Here’s What You Should Be Expecting:

  • Inspiring & Inclusive

    A full day of teaching in a friendly, inclusive group

  • Interactive & Practical

    Plenty of time for practice & feedback

  • Hands-on exercises

    With 1:1 reviews by Catt

  • Collaborate

    Learn from your teacher and other attendees

  • Dedicated Q&A time

    To ask all your questions

  • Digital Smashing Certificate

    A well-deserved reward for your work

€549.00 Excl. VAT Register for this workshop → Get a single workshop, or bundle with a conference.

🎪  Save up to 25% on this workshop with a Smashing Membership.

You’ll Learn:

In this workshop you’ll learn:

  • Clarify expectations of a Staff+ Designer, understanding the core competencies and the shift in mindset required to operate at a higher strategic level.
  • Set boundaries and manage time effectively, learning how to protect your deep-work time while still being available for high-leverage mentorship and architectural reviews.
  • Gain influence without a Manager or Director title, mastering the art of “soft power” to drive design excellence across multiple teams and stakeholders.

Facilitated activities will include:

  • Identify your archetype: Choose which Staff+ Designer archetype you identify with the most to better define your unique value proposition.
  • Capacity Audit: Calculate your average quarterly availability to ensure you are focusing on high-impact initiatives rather than “busy work.”
  • Strategic Roadmap: Build a concrete plan to influence your organization’s design direction and product strategy.

€549.00 Excl. VAT Register for this workshop → Get a single workshop, or bundle with a conference.

🎪  Save up to 25% on this workshop with a Smashing Membership.

Who is this workshop for?

This workshop is for Senior, Lead, and aspiring Staff Designers who want to scale their impact without moving into people management. Whether you are looking to bridge the gap to the next level or are already in a Staff+ role and looking for more structure, you’ll walk away with a toolbox of techniques to lead with confidence.

About Catt Small

Catt is a Staff Product Designer at Dropbox, game maker, and developer. She has worked with companies of all sizes including Asana, Etsy, SoundCloud, and Nasdaq. She started coding around the age of 10 and designing at the age of 15. She graduated from SVA with a BFA in Graphic Design in 2011 and later received an MS in Integrated Digital Media from NYU in 2016. Catt also makes awkward video games, writes about professional development, and draws artwork of all kinds.

Time & Location

This full-day workshop will take place the day before SmashingConf. The workshop will be running from 9:30 AM to 5:00 PM on Monday, October 12.

The workshop is happening at Vestar, Lamorinierestraat 53, 2018 Antwerpen. Google Maps

Schedule for Monday, October 12

9:00 AM – Doors open, Registration
9:30 AM – Introduction & Kick-off
11:00 AM – Coffee Break
1:00 PM – Lunch
2:00 PM – Afternoon Session
3:00 PM – Coffee Break
5:00 PM – The End

Save EUR 100 when signing up for the conference and a workshop!

€549.00 Excl. VAT Register for this workshop → Get a single workshop, or bundle with a conference.

🎪  Save up to 25% on this workshop with a Smashing Membership.