A light list of books that can help you improve your overall design skills

Visual design plays a significant role in how people perceive and interact with products, brands, and messages. It includes everything from color choice and layout to typography and imagery, and it can influence people’s emotions, attention, and behaviors. Poorly designed visual experiences can turn people off or even confuse them, while well-designed ones can engage and persuade an audience. It is impossible to overstate the importance of visual design in today’s world, which is filled with information and competition for attention. The right design can make a product or message stand out, effectively communicate ideas, and leave a lasting impression.

Books provide a wealth of knowledge and expertise, enable you to delve deep into a topic, provide a different perspective, and serve as a reference resource for you to learn visual design. Experienced designers and industry experts write many books on visual design. You can learn tips and insights from these books that you might not find elsewhere. Especially for visual design, which involves a lot of concepts and principles that require a deeper understanding, books allow you to delve deep into a topic and explore it in greater detail. Furthermore, each book on visual design offers a unique perspective. You can get a well-rounded understanding of visual design by reading multiple books. Visual design books often include examples, exercises, and other resources that you can refer back to as you learn and practice, making them valuable references.

Here are ten books that may help improve your visual design skills and help you to build your 2023 book list just before this year ends —

1. “The Elements of Graphic Design” by Alex W. White
2. “The Non-Designer’s Design Book” by Robin Williams
3. “Thinking with Type” by Ellen Lupton
4. “Designing Interfaces” by Jenifer Tidwell
5. “The Design of Everyday Things” by Don Norman
6. “Universal Principles of Design” by William Lidwell, Kritina Holden, and Jill Butler
7. “The Design of Business: Why Design Thinking is the Next Competitive Advantage” by Roger L. Martin
8. “Emotional Design: Why We Love (or Hate) Everyday Things” by Don Norman
9. “The Futurist: The Life and Films of James Cameron” by Rebecca Keegan
10. “Seductive Interaction Design: Creating Playful, Fun, and Effective User Experiences” by Stephen Anderson.

“The Elements of Graphic Design” by Alex W. White

In The Elements of Graphic Design, Alex W. White explains the fundamental principles of graphic design. There are several topics covered in this book, such as how contrast, alignment, repetition, and proximity can be used in the design, as well as how typography and color play an important role in composing an attractive composition. Research, generating ideas, prototyping, and testing designs are also discussed in the book. As a whole, the book provides a comprehensive overview of key graphic design concepts and techniques.

“The Non-Designer’s Design Book” by Robin Williams

The Non-Designer’s Design Book introduces the basics of visual design to people without formal design training. It provides tips and techniques for creating effective visual designs, covering topics like color, typography, composition, and branding. Readers are encouraged to develop their design intuition by emphasizing simplicity and clarity in design. Anyone looking to improve their design skills will benefit from this book.

“Thinking with Type” by Ellen Lupton

The book “Thinking with Type” by Ellen Lupton introduces the principles of typography. In addition to covering the history of type, the anatomy of letters, and the basics of typographic design, the book also discusses the history of typefaces. It is aimed at designers, writers, and anyone else interested in using type effectively as part of their work who wants to know how to do so. Moreover, the book also contains practical exercises and examples that readers can use as a guide to help them apply the concepts discussed in the book to their projects. It is fair to say that “Thinking with Type” offers a comprehensive and accessible introduction to the world of typography as a whole.

“Designing Interfaces” by Jenifer Tidwell

The book “Designing Interfaces” by Jennifer Tidwell is full of principles, techniques, and examples that will help you understand how to create a good user interface. This book deals with a wide range of topics, including how to create effective user flows, how to design for usability and accessibility, and how to use layout, typography, and color effectively in your designs. As well as discussing how to design for different platforms and devices, the book also shows how to test and iterate on interface designs on different platforms and devices. To illustrate key concepts and provide practical guidance for designers, Tidwell incorporates examples and case studies throughout this book. As a whole, “Designing Interfaces” is a comprehensive resource for anyone interested in learning more about interface design and creating an effective user experience, as well as how to create effective interfaces.

“The Design of Everyday Things” by Don Norman

In Don Norman’s book, “The Design of Everyday Things”, he discusses what constitutes good design, how one can use it to create objects that are pleasing to the eye, and how it can be used to create products that are useful in our daily lives. The book covers topics such as human-centered design, the psychology of user behavior, and affordances. In the book, the author argues that good design is intuitive and natural for users, whereas poorly designed objects can be frustrating and confusing. It offers practical advice on how to create more effective and user-friendly products, including examples of both good and bad designs. In summary, “The Design of Everyday Things” is an interesting and informative book on design.

“Universal Principles of Design” by William Lidwell, Kritina Holden, and Jill Butler

‘Universal Principles of Design’ provides an overview of the principles of design and how they can be applied in various fields by William Lidwell, Kritina Holden, and Jill Butler. The book provides numerous examples to illustrate the concepts discussed, including color, pattern, contrast, and balance. It consists of three main sections: fundamental principles, applied principles, and contextual principles. Composition and hierarchy are discussed in the fundamental principles section, whereas web design and packaging are discussed in the applied principles section. Cultural and social contexts are examined in the contextual principles section. An accessible and comprehensive introduction to design principles, “Universal Principles of Design” is a must-read for everyone.

“The Design of Business: Why Design Thinking is the Next Competitive Advantage” by Roger L. Martin

In “The Design of Business: Why Design Thinking is the Next Competitive Advantage,” Roger L. Martin argues that design thinking is crucial to business success in the 21st century. According to Martin, design thinking involves empathy, experimentation, and iteration, and is particularly effective at solving complex, ill-defined problems. The book includes examples of companies that have used design thinking to innovate and gain a competitive advantage, as well as practical advice on how businesses can adopt a design thinking approach. Aside from discussing design thinking in the business context, the book also discusses creativity in business, aesthetics, and the value of diversity in design teams. It is a thought-provoking and insightful read for anyone interested in business and design.

“Emotional Design: Why We Love (or Hate) Everyday Things” by Don Norman

Don Norman’s book “Emotional Design: Why We Love (or Hate) Everyday Things” explores how emotions influence our perception and use of objects. It argues that good design goes beyond function and usability and should also consider the emotional responses of users. The book discusses different levels of emotional design, aesthetics and pleasure, and memories and storytelling in design. A variety of examples and case studies are provided to illustrate the concepts discussed, and practical advice for designers is provided. The book “Emotional Design” explores the intersection between emotions and design.

“The Futurist: The Life and Films of James Cameron” by Rebecca Keegan

Rebecca Keegan’s “The Futurist: The Life and Films of James Cameron” is a biography of the filmmaker. From his early filmmaking experiences to his rise to fame with movies like “The Terminator,” “Aliens,” and “Titanic,” the book traces Cameron’s life and career. Keegan examines Cameron’s creative process and how he pushes storytelling and technology in his films. Throughout the book, Cameron discusses his relationship with his ex-wife and his current wife, who is also a filmmaker. The book contextualizes Cameron’s work within the broader film industry and cultural landscape as well as his professional and personal life. The Futurist is a comprehensive and engaging look at James Cameron’s life and films.

“Seductive Interaction Design: Creating Playful, Fun, and Effective User Experiences” by Stephen Anderson

“Seductive Interaction Design: Creating Playful, Fun, and Effective User Experiences” by Stephen Anderson explores how interactive products and experiences can be designed to be fun, engaging, and addictive through seductive interaction design. Seductive design goes beyond adding bells and whistles to a product and requires a deep understanding of human psychology and motivation. In the book, Anderson illustrates seductive design in a variety of contexts, including games, mobile apps, and websites, and offers practical tips for creating seductive experiences. Using seductive design has both risks and benefits according to the book. “Seductive Interaction Design” is an engaging, enjoyable resource for designers.

Your gateway to personal MBA

The most affordable way to get a personal (design) MBA is through books since they provide a wealth of information and knowledge. The cost of any MBA program can be high, especially when you consider tuition, books, and other expenses. Compared to MBA programs, business and management books provide similar or even better information at a fraction of the cost. In addition, books can be read at your own pace and in your own time, which can be more convenient than MBA programs. To learn about business and management topics and gain a personal MBA, books are a cost-effective and flexible option.

That’s the end of this short yet hopefully insightful read. Thanks for making it to the end. I hope you gained something from it.

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