Design Leadership Intensive
Learn from India’s top design leader to think bigger, influence better and lead with clarity.
Apply Now
The ABCD of Design Leadership
Play video Articulation
What you will master
- How to write a powerful design brief
- How to reverse-engineer a brief by observing a product/experience and guessing the design problem.
- Recognizing paradoxes that great design must solve
- Mastering the two sides of articulation: Framing the problem clearly & Communicating the solution persuasively
Why does this matter?
- Most people struggle to define what they actually need. Most designers struggle to explain why their design works. And when you can’t articulate clearly — you can’t sell your ideas, no matter how brilliant they are.
- Poor articulation of business problems and design solutions leads to misunderstood intent, wasted effort, and missed business alignment.
- Leaders don't just design — they persuade. This module teaches you how to sell ideas powerfully to stakeholders who don’t speak the language of design.
Hands-on Exercises
- Smash THAT Brand!
- The Reverse Brief Challenge
- S3 Framework: Master the Art of Presentation
Greater confidence in client discussions
Ability to create briefs that spark innovation
Improved storytelling around UX decisions
Big Picture Thinking
What you will master
- Zooming out to see the 10,000 ft view: using systemic thinking to identify second- and third-order effects.
- Ecosystem mapping through actors, activities, artifacts, environments, and relationships.
- Recognizing interdependencies across business functions.
- Developing a clear, compelling future vision, and communicating it with precision
Why does this matter?
- Most UX professionals get stuck optimizing screens. Leaders must understand business models, long-term implications, and cross-domain connections.
- It's about seeing the forest, not just the trees.
What you’ll be doing in this module
LEGO-based group simulation of ecosystem challenges.
Become a strategic partner, not just a screen-maker.
Make design relevant to boardroom priorities
Zoom out and think system-wide
Clarity
What you will master
- Learn proven tools to bring sharpness to fuzzy ideas — fast.
- Use the Iceberg Principle to uncover what’s really driving user behaviour.
- Apply the Working Backwards Method to define what success looks like from Day 1.
- Craft 6-word stories to align your team on the user, the value, and the hook.
Why does this matter?
- Designing anything new — especially when you're innovating — comes with inevitable confusion. That’s normal.
- But when that lack of clarity drags on, it slows everything down.
- Timelines slip. Budgets bloat. Teams lose momentum.
- In today’s world of shrinking innovation cycles, you can’t afford to “wait for the fog to clear.”
- Clarity must be created — deliberately and fast.
What you’ll be doing in this module
- Blue Ocean Thinking
- Working Backwards Method
- 6-Word Stories
Cut through the noise and complexity
Accelerate decision-making with clarity
Create momentum instead of waiting for it.
Disruption
What you will master
- Learn how to escape functional fixedness — the mental block that kills innovation.
- Understand the psychology of disruption and how to create change that sticks.
- Understanding the spectrum of innovation: Incremental vs. Disruptive
- Use SCAMPER for structured creativity and to spark fresh ideas from what already exists.
Why does this matter?
- Innovation isn’t magic — it’s method.
- Disruption begins by questioning assumptions, which most teams are blind to.
- Helps break the “we’ve always done it this way” mindset.
What you’ll be doing in this module
Pizza Café Innovation Challenge— A hands-on, high-energy simulation to rewire your thinking.
Unlock creative thinking to lead innovation.
Spot when to evolve and when to break the model.
Create ideas that are not just new — but necessary.
Who is this for?
Founders
Turn design into your startup’s secret weapon.
Learn how to connect user needs to business goals, lead with a product vision that inspires, and apply real-world frameworks that scale.
CXOs
Bridge the gap between strategy and execution.
Learn how design can drive business outcomes, decode user behavior at scale, and lead transformation with a framework trusted by top product teams.
Innovators
Make bold ideas real -
and irresistable.
Learn how to translate breakthrough thinking into products people love, using a design-driven framework that aligns vision, user insight, and business strategy.
Product Managers
Go beyond managing roadmaps—shape products that resonate
Learn how to align design with product thinking, decode user needs, and drive execution with a clear, inspiring vision using real-world frameworks.
Designers
Level up from an executor role to a strategic partner.
Learn how to tie design to business outcomes, influence decision-making with confidence, and join a hands-on, high-energy cohort of design leaders.
Business Analysts
Transform insights into product breakthroughs.
Learn how to decode user behaviour, connect data to design decisions, and collaborate effectively with design leaders to drive product success.
Meet your instructor
Saurabh Gupta
Co-Founder of ZEUX Innovation
An alumnus of NID and a Red Dot Award recipient, Saurabh brings over 20 years of global UX design experience. Leading ZEUX Innovation's UX Design and Innovation team, he has crafted award-winning solutions for Fortune 500 companies and startups, driving ROI and advancing user-centered strategies. His achievements include 1 US patent and 4 pending patents, reflecting his dedication to design excellence.
Led 300+ Digital Transformations
Industry Thought Leader featured in
Mentored 5000+ people across 5 continents
The z School Learning Experience
The program your career will thank you for
Professionals from top companies have already levelled up
Don’t just take our word for it
A certificate? Yep, you’ll get one.
But the real reward? Your upgraded design game.
Why you shouldn’t miss this program
Go from Execution to Strategy
Move from "can you make this button blue?" to "what should we build next?" Learn how to influence product roadmaps, not just implement them.
Command Premium Compensation (₹8-12l → ₹15-25l+)
Senior designers who think strategically earn 2-3x more. Learn frameworks that justify premium salaries and how to negotiate from a position of strength. Past participants averaged ₹3.8L salary increases within 6 months.
Hands-on, Not Lecture-based
No passive presentations. You'll work through real challenges with LEGO, reverse-engineer actual design briefs, and practice persuading skeptical stakeholders. Leave with muscle memory, not just notes.
Network with India's Top Design Leaders
Join a cohort of 20-25 ambitious designers from top companies. These become your peers, mentors, and future collaborators. The alumni network alone is worth the investment.
This Price Won't Last
International programs charge ₹2-5L for the same format. We're offering it at extremely affordable rates to build our founding cohort. Early adopters get lifetime alumni benefits before we price at market value.
Save your spot for the next batch!
Ready to lead? Come join our next cohort!
-
Money-Back Guarantee
Not satisfied after Day 1? Full refund, no questions asked.
-
Flexible Scheduling
Can't make it? Switch to next batch free.
-
Premium Experience Included
Lunch + hi-tea for both days included.
-
Intimate batch, complete focus
Maximum 25 participants per cohort.
-
Lifetime benefits
Join a community of 200+ design leaders—quarterly meetups for ongoing support.
Applying for Training Reimbursement from your employer?
Download your ready-to-send email + brochure.
Got questions? We’ve got answers
We recommend bringing a laptop, as some activities will involve digital collaboration and documentation. And of course, bring your curiosity—it’s the real game-changer.
Nope, and for good reason. This is a fully in-person experience. The hands-on nature of the workshop, real-time feedback, and deep group interactions are best experienced live.
The workshop takes place at the ZEUX Innovation office in Powai, Mumbai. (And yes, coffee and Wi-Fi are both strong.)
Absolutely. Upon successful completion, you’ll receive a certificate from ZEUX Innovation. But more than a certificate, you’ll walk away with tools, frameworks, and the confidence to lead.
Think of the Design Leadership Sprint as a customizable buffet—flexible, modular, and
skill-focused.
The Design Leadership Intensive is your full-course meal: a cohesive, immersive, and
advanced-level journey. It’s ideal for those who want to apply leadership at scale—with coaching, live
feedback, and implementation support.
Absolutely. Many past participants have had their companies reimburse the fee as part of their L&D budgets. We can provide a formal letter or invoice if needed to make the approval process smoother.
Nope. You don’t need a formal title to start leading. If you’re already influencing design decisions, mentoring others, or collaborating across teams—this program will sharpen your edge.
Since this is a live, in-person program, sessions are not recorded. However, if you do miss a session, we’ll try our best to accommodate you in a future cohort at no extra cost. Please note: The workshop fee is non-refundable under any circumstances.