10 books by inspiring women to level up your product design skills
As a product designer, I’ve discovered that inspiration can come from anywhere, but the depth and guidance of books have been particularly insightful for me.
In honor of International Women’s Day, I’ve compiled a list of 10 books written by inspiring women that have helped me expand my skill set and fuel my creativity.
These books are not only informative but also entertaining, making them a great source for anyone seeking to enhance their knowledge and perspective on different skills.
Just enough research, by Erika Hall.
Main skills: research and critical thinking
This book is a great choice for anyone looking to enhance their research and critical thinking skills. It offers practical tips and strategies for conducting user research that can help inform product design decisions.
Inclusive design for a digital world by Regine M. Gilbert
Main skills: accessibility and UX design
A great choice for designers who want to create products that are accessible to everyone. This book offers valuable insights for designing with accessibility in mind.
Thinking in Systems by Donella H. Meadows
Main skills: systemic thinking and problem-solving.
A book that helped me to think more systemically and about complex problems. It offers a holistic approach to analyzing systems, making it a valuable resource for any product designer.
How to make sense of any mess by Abby Covert
Main skills: information architecture & organization
This book offers practical advice for organizing and structuring information. It’s a fun reading and a great choice for anyone interested in information architecture and organization.
It inspired me to practice information architecture on daily things:
The making of a manager by Julie Zhuo
Main skills: leadership & communication
A great resource for product designers looking to develop their leadership and communication skills. It also offers valuable insights into how to manage a team effectively.
Practical Empathy by Indi Young
Main skills: empathy & collaboration
Good for anyone looking to develop their empathy and collaboration skills. This book offers practical advice and exercises for developing empathy in life and work.
Continuous Discovery habits by Teresa Torres
Main skills: product strategy & prioritization
A great resource for product designers looking to develop their product strategy and prioritization skills. It offers practical tips and strategies for conducting continuous discovery and staying aligned with customer needs.
Thanks for the feedback by Sheila Teen & Douglas Stone
Main skills: feedback & assertiveness
This a valuable book for anyone looking to improve their feedback and assertiveness skills. It offers practical advice for receiving and giving feedback effectively.
For Portuguese readers, I once shared this summary of the main topics:
Strategic Writing for UX by Torrey Podmajersky
Main skills: UX writing & strategy
A great resource for product designers looking to develop their UX writing and strategy skills. It also offers practical tips and strategies for creating effective UX copy.
100 things every designer needs to know about people by Susan M. Weinschenk
Main skills: understanding human behavior and psychology & UX design
A must-read for anyone interested in understanding human behavior and psychology in the context of product design. It offers valuable insights into how people think, feel, and behave, and how these insights can inform design decisions.
