The Shape of Design

I’ve enjoyed Frank Chimero’s writing for awhile (particularly his essay on The Web’s Grain), so of course I wanted to read, The Shape of Design. Rather than write about specific techniques of craft, Chimero tends to write about the overarching philosophical and abstract ideas that influence our discipline. The Shape of Design is precisely that.

Using the elevated vocabulary, cogent metaphors, and captivating stories characteristic of his style, Chimero writes about the creative process and the nature of design. He urges us to “step back from the easel” for a second to ask the “Why” questions of our work, instead of just the “How.” He writes about the role of improvisation in our work, the need to momentarily suspend critique of our work and and cultivate our delicate seeds of an idea.

This book is available to read for free online at shapeofdesignbook.com