I was recently invited by a friend of mine to do a lecture on Business Planning for Industrial Designers to a group of design students. As part of this lecture I compiled a list of books that are essential for Industrial Designers to read if they wish to learn more about business. So I thought I would share the list with Design Droplets readers.
Excellent Book for those about to graduate or recent graduates – View the Design Droplets review of this book here.
Business Stripped Bare: Adventures of a Global Entrepreneur
A follow up to his autobiography Losing My Virginity, Business Stripped bare is an inside look at Richard Branson’s business philosophy and advice on entrepreneurship. Personally, I really enjoyed reading this and have read it twice.
Another great book that take you through the process of deciding which ideas have commercial value and then applying business strategies to them. I know Marcus Powe (one of the authors) personally and a huge amount of his advice and wisdom on entrepreneurship is contained in this book.
This is an excellent guide to doing business in China. Having spent a significant amount of time in China before reading this, I was kicking myself for not finding it sooner. It doesn’t seem to be available on Amazon (I got mine in a great english bookshop/cafe/restaurant in Chengdu, China called The Bookworm) but here is the IBSN – 0-7314-0203-0 or you can purchase it via Australian Institue of Company Directors Publications
Blue Ocean Strategy: How to Create Uncontested Market Space and Make Competition Irrelevant
Covers strategies on making your rivals in business irrelevant.
Purple Cow: Transform Your Business by Being Remarkable
Seth Godin writes some excellent marketing books that are all worth reading. I particularly enjoyed this one.
How to be a Rockstar Freelancer
Freelancing guide from FreelanceSwitch and the Envato network (Its a PDF Download). The Designer’s Review of Books just posted a great review of it here.
The Opposable Mind: How Successful Leaders Win Through Integrative Thinking
I found The Opposable Mind quite interesting as it is pretty much about teaching Design Thinking to Business people so it gives you some idea about where business peoples thinking is at and where they are trying to get to.
Some Extra Resources…
These aren’t books, but they are useful resources for learning more about business.
Linkedin – I have found Linkedin to be an invaluable resource for expanding my knowledge of business by joining business groups and by using the Linkedin question tool.
Small Business Victoria – for those in Australia, more specifically Victoria, they have some fantastic resources. Some, like their guide to business planning ‘Starting your own business – a short guide to success’ and ‘Plan to succeed’ are applicable to those not living in Victoria or Australia on a high level.
The Hive – An Australia based business networking group for entrepreneurs. A great place to learn from people who are currently in business.
This is by no means an extensive list, it is a beginning. So if you have some suggestions for more books Industrial Designers should read to learn more about business, than let everyone know in the comments.
{ 6 comments… read them below or add one }
Great list, thanks! I’ll check these out.
Raph, Good list. Hope the talk went well.
If the students aspire to working in ID consultancies then “The Trusted Advisor” is a must read, if they aspire to working within manufacturing businesses (that are using design) then “Good to Great” would provide a good conversation starter with the business people arond them.
@ Peter Thomson
It went quite well. Thanks for adding your suggestions. I haven’t read “The trusted Advisor” or “good to great” I will have to check them out.
Thanks for the mention. I think every industrial designer should also read Cradle to Cradle.
@ Andy Polaine
Not a problem. I enjoy your site. Thank you for stopping by , taking the time to comment and for your book suggestion.
Great titles, I always need good read.