​Designers are expected to shape product direction, drive clarity, and influence decisions, often without authority, ownership, or a true seat at the table.

​Good, because power is overrated.

​This talk reframes that constraint as an advantage, introducing Minimum Viable Influence: a system for leading from anywhere.

​Through real-world examples, sharp communication tactics, and small but compounding rituals, it shows how to turn insights into decisions, frame problems so teams move with you, and build momentum without asking for permission. Stop waiting to be empowered, start designing how decisions get made.

​About Pratik Joglekar

​Pratik Joglekar is a Senior Product Designer at Coursera with over five years of experience across startups and large companies including HubSpot and MassMutual. A neurodiversity advocate and dyslexic designer, he speaks and writes on inclusive design, with bylines in Smashing Magazine and talks at conferences like UX Scotland. He also mentors designers on ADPList and holds a master's in UX and Interaction Design from Thomas Jefferson University

​Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/pratik-joglekar/

​Have you explored all of our UX talks yet?

​Explore the full lineup of talks here: https://luma.com/protothon2026

​Keynotes include:
• Thinking like a Product Designer
• The Real ROI of AI: Solving for Yourself
• ⌘ + AI + Design: How to prompt like a designer
• Getting Your Ideas Heard
• Design with AI in Enterprise Healthcare
• AI-Driven UI Concept Design Workshop
• A Designer's Non Linear Path

​​Organized by DubsTech and Design Buddies

​​About DubsTech

​​DubsTech is the largest tech community at the University of Washington. We host workshops, hackathons, and talks on UX design, data science, and software engineering. ✨

Get involved and network with us on your favorite platforms:
Instagram | Discord | Youtube | Facebook | Linkedin

​​About Design Buddies

​​Design Buddies is a community where you level up your design career. Make lifelong friends, improve your design craft, and land jobs. We have free resources, events, design challenges, a job board, fun perks, and more. Hop in here: https://discord.com/invite/designbuddies

Also find us on Instagram | Youtube | Linkedin | Facebook | Twitter