8-hour Workshop · On-site · In-person
Philosophical Foundations
Overview
In this live full-day, in-person workshop, you'll explore how long-standing philosophical ideas can shape modern product design. From Plato's ideal forms to Heidegger's concept of being, we'll draw on ancient and modern thinkers to find principles that help teams stop following trends and make design decisions that last.
Through hands-on exercises and discussion, you'll apply philosophical frameworks to real design problems and bring more clarity and intent to your work. You'll leave knowing how to make products that work well, look good, and stand for a clear idea.
Live, in-person workshop
On-site, wherever you are
One full day, or two half days
4 to 12 participants
Certificate of completion
What changes after this workshop
- Your team makes decisions from a clear, lasting intent rather than chasing trends.
- Difficult tradeoffs have a conceptual anchor to refer back to.
- Your product philosophy is spelled out, so everyone can say what you stand for.
- Design decisions feel more intentional and less arbitrary, both internally and to users.
- Your team gets a shared vocabulary for discussing why a design is the way it is.
What you leave with
- A decision framework for evaluating design choices through a philosophical lens
- A "philosophy-to-principles" worksheet for translating abstract ideas into practical guidance
- A product stance your team agrees on, stating what your product believes and why
- Example applications showing how philosophical frameworks apply to your real product
- A reading list of accessible philosophical texts to keep going after the workshop
- A certificate of completion for each participant
Workshop alumni include designers and design leaders from a long list of great companies.
Choose this workshop if...
- Your product feels reactive or trend-driven, without a clear conceptual foundation
- You want a lasting intent behind the features you ship
- Your team struggles to articulate what your product stands for beyond its function
- You enjoy deep thinking and want more intellectual rigor in your design process
Not a fit if...
- You're looking for tactical UX methods. This workshop is about conceptual depth.
- Your team isn't open to abstract discussion. This workshop requires intellectual curiosity.
- You need a practical framework for design critiques. Check out our Design Principles workshop.
Presentation
Split Up
Full Group
Sharing Sessions
Kick-off
Intro to Philosophy in Design
Session 1
Plato's Ideal Forms
Session 1
Aristotle's Purpose
Session 1
Kant's Categorical Imperative
Session 1
Heidegger's Being
Session 1
Philosophy in Practice
Break or continue next day
Session 2
Session 1 Recap
Session 2
Case Study
Session 2
Timeless Principles
Session 2
Enduring Products
Session 2
Defining Your Philosophy
Wrap-Up
Q&A
Facilitator
For more than a decade, we've argued for design that cares about the people who use it.
We've worked with companies like Unity, GetYourGuide, Shopify, Coinbase, and many others. What we learned there shapes our own design work and what we teach designers at every level about making things that mean something to their users.
Incomparable
Designer · Teacher · Public Speaker
We stopped chasing competitors and started building from our own convictions. Six months later, our product feels distinct in a way it never did before.
Edgar Hendricks
Staff Product Designer, Developer Tools
After the intro call
Tailored agenda
We send you a customized agenda based on what we discussed, along with a quote.
Review and confirm
You review, request any adjustments, and confirm the dates that work for your team.
Workshop day
We show up ready to go. You just need a room and your people.
Straightforward, transparent pricing
Before you pay a dime for the workshop, we schedule a 30-minute intro call to learn what your team needs and tailor the content to it. That way the day is spent on the problems your team actually has.
Travel costs
Based on the distance between your location and your facilitator.
Up to 10 participants
Workshop cost
$6,000 USD
Travel
Variable
Total
Starting from $6,699 USD
11 to 20 participants
Workshop cost
$6,000 USD
Travel
Variable
Larger group
+ $1,000 USD
Total
Starting from $7,699 USD
Written follow-up
After the day, we send a document of what your team agreed on, applied to a few screens from your own product. It's part of the fee.
Credited toward a partnership
Start a design partnership within 60 days and we take the workshop fee, minus travel, off your first invoices.
Any questions in the room?
You probably have a few questions by now. The common ones are below, and we can go through anything else on the intro call.
We spend 30 minutes learning about your team's challenges, goals, and context. We'll recommend the right workshop, answer your questions, and explain how we tailor the content. We won't pitch you, and if it's not a fit, we'll tell you.
After the intro call, we adjust the case studies, exercises, and examples to match your product, team size, and specific challenges. You'll receive a customized agenda before we lock in dates.
Very little. We'll send a short pre-workshop questionnaire to gather context. On the day, you just need a room, a whiteboard or sticky notes, and your team. We bring everything else.
Most workshops work best with a mix of designers, product managers, and design leadership. Some teams also include engineers, researchers, or key stakeholders. We'll help you figure out the right group during the intro call.
Yes, but the format changes. For groups larger than 20, we split into parallel tracks with multiple facilitators or run consecutive sessions. Pricing changes with the format, and we can work it out on the intro call.
We strongly recommend in-person workshops. The hands-on exercises and group dynamics work best when everyone's in the same room. That said, we've run hybrid sessions for distributed teams. Reach out if you'd like to explore options.
The travel fee covers flights, accommodation, and local transport for the facilitator. It's one flat fee based on your region, so there are no extra expenses or receipts to review.
We invoice after you confirm the workshop date. Payment is due before the workshop takes place. We accept wire transfers and can accommodate most payment terms. If you need a PO or have procurement requirements, just let us know.
We don't allow full recordings, since much of the value comes from open discussion and participation. After the day, you get a written document of what your team agreed on, applied to a few screens from your own product, along with the templates and frameworks we used.
Yes. If your company requires an NDA before the intro call or workshop, send it over. We're happy to sign reasonable confidentiality agreements.
Cancellations more than 14 days before the workshop receive a full refund. Between 7 and 14 days, we offer a 50% refund or full credit toward a future date. Less than 7 days, we don't offer refunds, but we'll work with you to reschedule if possible.
Yes. Each workshop participant receives a digital Incomparable certificate. For a small additional fee, we provide sealed, card stock physical certificates.
Full-day, in-person workshop
Anytime · Wherever you are
Facilitated by Incomparable
On this page
Book a 30-minute intro callNo commitment. We'll tailor the agenda to your team.
Not the workshop you were looking for?
We also run these workshops on rotation.
8-hour workshop
From $6,000 + travel