Become the designer they can’t build without.

Become the designer they can’t build without.

The AI era is here. The designers who stick around can frame the problem, defend their decisions, and make a room trust their judgment. I help experienced designers build exactly that.

Browse Resources

Become the designer they can’t build without.

The AI era is here. The designers who stick around can frame the problem, defend their decisions, and make a room trust their judgment. I help experienced designers build exactly that.

Browse Resources

Good design got you here. Being heard gets you further.

13 years watching which designers got pulled into the room early and which just got told what to do. I’ve since leveled up hundreds of experienced designers on the strategic skills that grow a design career.

Get recognized for the impact you create.

You can already design. Now build the strategy, product, and business judgment that turn great designers into the ones leadership can’t ignore.

Why Before UI

Become the designer who can defend any decision in the room.

4.8 · 600+ designers

Hands-on practice for the part nobody taught you: framing the problem, defending the call, and tying your work to real outcomes. Real scenarios you work through plus how other designers defended the same calls.

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Resources

Land the role. Nail the promotion.

The scripts, templates, and teardown tools for getting hired and moving up. Built from real, messy projects.

Browse resources

600+ designers now being heard

My resources hand designers the skills nobody taught them so their judgment finally gets taken seriously.

"Miranda has supported me with making more of an impact within my product team and helped shape the way my product team and I work today."

Luke

Sr. Product Designer

“I implemented Miranda’s advice right away, which not only boosted my own confidence in leading design work but, more importantly, brought much-needed clarity to the designers I was overseeing”

Lan

Sr. Designer

“This has allowed me to grow massively this year as a designer while learning from Miranda’s experience and process.”

Laura

Lead Designer

“I’ve already recommended this challenge to a few designer friends, highlighting the range of challenge prompts which exposes you to different real-world scenarios of design”

Maya

Product Designer

“Before this course, I used to think design was about the visual design. Now I realize it’s about balancing that plus all the constraints and requirements of the moment”

Malak

Product Designer

“One thing that’s really changed for me is how I think about design overall. At first, I used to just focus on solving the request that was given, but now I try to dig a little deeper into the why behind it”

Ola

UX Designer

“Miranda’s course forced me to articulate my thinking and ask ‘why’ for every decision. It’s changing how I approach design entirely.”

Sammie

Sr. Product Designer, 2–4 years experience

“Why Before UI was one of the best learning experiences I have ever had, because in a very short time it allowed me to test myself on different topics, with different objectives and outputs that were not always predictable”

Monica

Product Designer, 5–7 years experience

“A great way for seasoned designers to up their game. It’s a looooot more hands-on than the courses I’ve been taking and I think it’ll be super helpful when I have to work on case studies in job interviews”

Severine

Product Designer

Miranda has supported me with making more of an impact within my product team and helped

“Miranda has supported me with making more of an impact within my product team and helped shape the way my product team and I work today.”

Luke

Sr. Product Designer

Miranda has supported me with making more of an impact within my product team and helped

“I implemented Miranda’s advice right away, which not only boosted my own confidence in leading design work but, more importantly, brought much-needed clarity to the designers I was overseeing”

Lan

Sr. Designer

Miranda has supported me with making more of an impact within my product team and helped

“This has allowed me to grow massively this year as a designer while learning from Miranda’s experience and process.”

Laura

Lead Designer

Miranda has supported me with making more of an impact within my product team and helped

“I’ve already recommended this challenge to a few designer friends, highlighting the range of challenge prompts which exposes you to different real-world scenarios of design”

Maya

Product Designer

Miranda has supported me with making more of an impact within my product team and helped

“Before this course, I used to think design was about the visual design. Now I realize it’s about balancing that plus all the constraints and requirements of the moment”

Malak

Product Designer

About Strategic Studio

This is the real definition of design

For too much of my career, nobody taught the part that actually mattered. We learn the tools. We learn the process. Then we hit a ceiling and get vague feedback like “have more influence,” and spend years guessing at what that means.

Early on I did good work and watched it get picked apart, scrapped, or handed off sure the room just didn’t get it. It took me too long to realize the room wasn’t the problem. I was handing over the work and hoping it spoke for itself. It didn’t.

I built Strategic Studio to teach the lessons I had to learn by trial and error the judgment, framing, and communication that make your work, and you, impossible to dismiss.

-Miranda

Principal Designer · 13 years in · Founder, Strategic Studio

Lead a team?

Lead a team?

Here’s how I help you get the most out of them

Here’s how I help you get the most out of them