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Design Essentials for Non-Design Teams

Design isn’t just for designers. In this four-session workshop, you’ll learn core design skills that make your work clearer, faster, and more effective.

Workshop Summary

NUMBER OF SESSIONS
4 Sessions
SESSION LENGTH
90 Minutes

Do you want to create more polished presentations, better marketing materials, or more impactful visual deliverables? Do you want to understand foundational design principles that make everything you create more professional and persuasive?

The Design Foundations for Non-Designers Workshop will teach you the core concepts every modern professional should know. Over four sessions, you’ll learn the essentials of visual hierarchy, typography, color, and layout—then apply them to real-world business needs. Each session blends live lecture, simple design exercises, and group discussions that help you immediately put new skills into practice.

NOTE: Sessions can be customized depending on what type of team you have and your team's goals.

Have questions about the Workshop?

Who It’s For

PERFECT FOR PRODUCT, MARKETING, AND DEV TEAMS

If you create decks, reports, marketing materials, or build digital products, this workshop is for you. No design experience required—just curiosity and a willingness to learn the basics that make good design work.

Ideal for professionals who collaborate with designers, create user-facing content, or want to build better visual communication skills.

If you’re unsure whether this workshop is right for your team, contact us.

Better Design Drives Impact

YOU WILL LEARN

1
How to apply visual hierarchy: Organize information for clarity and emphasis.
2
How to use color and typography: Make choices that enhance, not overwhelm.
3
How to create better layouts: Build simple, effective compositions that guide the eye.
4
How to spot and fix common design mistakes: Quickly elevate everyday work materials.

Learning Outside the (Virtual) Classroom

Deeply ingrained in our programs is the idea that learning happens best when facilitated by real human connection. That’s why we’ve focused on building opportunities for Designlab students to connect with peers, mentors, and others in our community.

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Connect, Collaborate & Discuss

At the center of our community is the Designlab Discord server. Here students, alumni, and mentors alike help each other get unstuck on coursework, give career advice, and provide design feedback.

But it’s not all business on Discord. It’s also a place where people discuss wellness practices, share book recommendations, find online video game partners, and talk about their favorite stationary (all real examples).

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Screenshot of Zoom group critique session

Learning, Live

Our courses feature live sessions (Group Crits, Peer Sessions, and more) so students can  present work, discuss feedback, and practice integrating the value of active critique into their design work. While the precise format varies by course or program, they all provide the chance for students to interact with peers in a facilitated session.

Real-World Insights: Expert-Led Events & Workshops

Being part of the Designlab community has its benefits. Students, alumni, and mentors receive lifetime access to our full slate of exclusive events and workshops. These online events cover a wide range of topics from navigating the job market to storytelling, user research, the latest design tools, and more.