This year, I committed to reading more design books—not just for technical knowledge, but to deepen my thinking and challenge how I approach my creative practice. Some books were theoretical, others practical. Some inspired me, and others frustrated me (which is good too).
Here’s a recap of the most impactful design books I read this year—and what each taught me:
1. The Design of Everyday Things by Don Norman
Key takeaway: Design is about how things work—not just how they look.
💡 What I learned:
This book shifted how I look at interfaces, door handles, packaging—everything. Norman breaks down usability with humor and clarity, reminding me that poor design isn’t the user’s fault. The idea of affordances became something I now actively observe in objects around me.
2. How to Be a Graphic Designer Without Losing Your Soul by Adrian Shaughnessy
Key takeaway: The creative industry is as much about ethics and independence as it is about visuals.
💬 Memorable moment:
Shaughnessy’s honesty about freelancing, burnout, and navigating commercial work helped me feel seen. His interviews with other designers offered real-life insights that aren’t sugarcoated—and that’s refreshing.
3. Design as Art by Bruno Munari
Key takeaway: Design lives in the small, poetic gestures of everyday life.
🎯 Application:
This short but powerful book made me reconnect with playfulness in design. Munari celebrates minimalism and simplicity without being rigid, and it inspired me to embrace experimentation in sketching and prototyping.
4. Thinking with Type by Ellen Lupton
Key takeaway: Typography isn’t decoration—it’s structure, rhythm, and voice.
🔤 What I changed:
Before reading this, I approached type instinctively. Now, I notice spacing, hierarchy, and alignment much more consciously. Lupton’s diagrams and exercises helped me better understand grids and font pairing.
5. Cradle to Cradle: Remaking the Way We Make Things by William McDonough & Michael Braungart
Key takeaway: Sustainable design goes far beyond recycling—it requires rethinking entire systems.
🌍 Why it matters:
This book brought an environmental lens to my thinking. It made me question not just what I make, but how and why. I now consider material lifespan and impact much earlier in my design process.
✍️ Why I Read Design Books
Design isn’t just aesthetics—it’s systems thinking, culture, behavior, and ethics. These books helped me:
- Build a critical lens when analyzing visual communication
- Feel more confident articulating design decisions
- Connect my practice with broader social and ecological themes
- Break out of “style traps” and explore deeper conceptual approaches
📚 What’s Next on My List
I’m not done yet—here’s what I want to read next:
- Grid Systems in Graphic Design by Josef Müller-Brockmann
- Now You See It and Other Essays on Design by Michael Bierut
- Speculative Everything by Anthony Dunne & Fiona Raby
- Capitalist Realism by Mark Fisher (for contextual thinking)
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