DBA Roundup
A roundup of industry expertise, exclusive resources, business support and tools for your design business.
Main Content
Designing a World for Everyone: 30 Years of Inclusive Design
The way we experience the world is largely through the design of the places, products, communications, services and systems we encounter every day.
Author: Jeremy Myerson | Pick up a copy.
Published by Lund Humphries (Hardback £35). Design Business Association members get 20% off (+free UK postage) – visit www.lundhumphries.com and use the DBA discount code at checkout to apply the discount. Offer valid until end 28 February 2022.
Click here to login in for discount code.
Sapiens: A brief history of humankind
With fans including Barack Obama, Sapiens explores who we are, how we got here and where we’re going.
Author: Yuval Noah Harari | Pick up a copy.
Need some colour? Pick up a graphic novel version illustrated by David Vandermeulen here.
Myths of Branding: A Brand Is Just A Logo, and Other Popular Misconceptions
Explore the huge number of misguided, mistaken and blatantly false myths that are abound in the branding arena.
Author: Simon Bailey | Pick up a copy.
Company of One: Why staying small is the next big thing for business
Exploring the case for making your business better instead of bigger.
Author: Paul Jarvis | Pick up a copy here.
Unchartered – How to map the future together
Taking a look into the people and organisations that aren’t daunted by uncertainty.
Author: Margaret Heffernan | Browse here.
Self compassion
Offering a powerful solution for combating the current malaise of depression, anxiety and self criticism that comes with living in a pressured and competitive culture.
Author: Kristin Neff | Pick up a copy here.
Agencynomics
Tips to guide you through your agency growth journey and to help you tackle the challenges faced in scaling your business.
Authors: Spencer Gallager and Peter Hoole | Pick up a copy here.
Deep work: Rules for focused success in a distracted world
Exploring reasons to cultivate a deep work ethic and how to master the skill to achieve extraordinary results.
Author: Cal Newport | Take a closer look here.
Creative process design: A methodology for team ideation and co-creation
A book about simple and intuitive methodology that allows you to design any creative process you need.
Author: Alejandro Masferrer | Pick up a copy here.
Digital minimalism: Choosing a focused life in a noisy world
How to digitally de-clutter to feel less overwhelmed and more in control.
Author: Cal Newport | Pick up a copy here
Who moved my cheese: An amazing way to deal with change in your work and in your life
Learn how to anticipate, adapt to and enjoy change and be ready to change quickly whenever you need to.
Author: Dr Spencer Johnson | Pick up a copy here.
Go local
If you want to support local bookshops, order your next read through https://uk.bookshop.org.
Thames & Hudson lockdown promotion
Shop on Thames & Hudson’s website for other titles and enjoy 25% off until 12 February 2021. Choose from stunning books on art, architecture, fashion, photography, design and more.
Image credits:
Immo Wegmann | Unsplash
Chenyang Gao| Unsplash
Susan Yin | Unsplash
Ma Kl | Unsplash
Vitaliy Zamedyanskiy | Unsplash
Josep Martins | Unsplash
Aneta Pawlik | Unsplash
Erik Mclean | Unsplash
Dan Gold | Unsplash
Ed Robertson | Unsplash
A roundup of industry expertise, exclusive resources, business support and tools for your design business.
DBA Member Forum | May Summary
At our May Member Forum, we were joined by Diageo's Jeremy Lindley, Phoenix Studio's Jonny Westcar, Gunpowder Consulting's Lucy Mann, and Else's Warren Hutchinson, as we explored how AI is reshaping DBA Member businesses.
Why design businesses can no longer afford to run their channels in isolation
In today’s market, creative and design-led businesses face an increasingly complex challenge: how to stand out, stay relevant, and grow in an environment where attention is scarce and competition is relentless. TDC PR's Tim Duncan outlines a holistic approach to standing out.
Podge Beach Club Summer Party
Podge & the DBA are joining forces this Summer to bring you an evening of conversation, creativity and cocktails on Tuesday 9 June, 5.30pm til late, at the Podge Beach Club Summer Party at Century Club in Soho, London.
Key take-aways from the 2026 ‘What Clients’ Think report
The DBA's Adam Fennelow highlights three ways to use findings from the 'What Clients Think' report to strengthen your client relationships.
When being responsive isn’t enough
The latest ‘What Clients Think’ report reveals that 64% of clients are asking agencies to be ‘more assertive’ or tougher with them. But what does that actually mean in practice?
The Future of… conference returns this May
The DBA’s Chief Executive, Deborah Dawton will be speaking at The Future of... conference in Chicago this May and DBA members can benefit from a special discount to attend.
Design, AI and the Human bit in the Middle
In a world increasingly shaped by automation and AI, what is the real responsibility of design? Thoughts from The Design Effect.
Design Week’s speaker highlights from The Design Effect
Design Week rounds up five key lessons in leadership and empathy from the speakers at The Design Effect and DBA Design Effectiveness Awards in London on 10 March.
DBA Design Effectiveness Awards 2026: winners’ films
The 2026 DBA Design Effectiveness Award winners have been revealed and these short videos bring to life the impact of four of the winners.