May: Favorites for the Month

We asked our Learning Experience Designers to list their favorite books, articles, podcasts, and music for May.

Dedicated: The Case for Commitment in an Age of Infinite Browsing by Pete Davis

Davis argues that keeping your options open isn’t all that great. Going deep and making a commitment that takes time and effort can come with great change and payoffs. It’s a great read and an interesting perspective on sticking to something rather than keeping your options open. — Amanda Johnson

Design as Art by Bruno Munari

This book was my first dive into design and its principles. Munari highlights the importance of beautiful and functional design in order to achieve its full potential. — Luis Ramirez

How childhood bullying inspired this Lego VP to design an LGBTQ set by Elizabeth Segran

I think this is a good example of how design can bring positive impact throughout different realms like fighting bullying. It’s an article that brings positivity out of a negative situation. — Karen Vazquez

Girl in Translation by Jean Kwok

This novel tells the story of Kimberly Chang and her mother moving to NYC from Hong Kong. This fiction novel does a great job at portraying the sacrifices they had to make to live a better life. For example, Kim’s mom sacrificed her life in Hong Kong and Kim sacrificed having a regular childhood to make sure her mom wasn’t the only one bringing food to the table by working in a factory.

I have a lot of feelings (most of them fully relatable to their situation) about all the sacrifices that both Kim and her mom had to make. Jean Kwok did such a great job describing how Kimberly would naturally react and grow between two cultures. Readers get to experience Kim at the age of eleven years and the novel ends with Kim in her early thirties all proficient in English, full professional, learning the nuances of America, etc. The ending is up for interpretation and can either be heart-breaking or rewarding and opens a dialogue for readers. (I personally think it was heart-breaking 😭, but you may disagree!)

My favorite quote: “Sometimes our fate is different from the one we imagined for ourselves.” — Karen Vazquez

Harry Gruyaert by François Hébel and Richard Nonas

Harry Gruyaert is a photographer born in Antwerp known for his use of colors in photography. He has a unique way of discovering and perceiving the world with his images. I got very inspired by his pictures and his way to observe the world with curiosity and care. As a designer, I think observation is a vital and powerful tool to help us collect valuable information to define and address users’ needs through a creative process — which I’m still constantly working on. Like this quote describing Harry’s work, “To be just where you need to be, at the right time, with the right light. The movements of people, which make the image strong”, observation directs us to come up with the right ways to make the product strong. — Hankun He

Everywhere at the End of Time by The Caretaker

Where to begin with this one… This album is an ambient masterpiece by The Caretaker, alias for musician Leyland Kirby. The album is broken into six pieces depicting the stages of dementia by showcasing the beauty of memories and the horror of its deterioration.

I love works of art like this, as they allow me to gain a different perspective and empathy towards the people we design for. — Luis Ramirez

How I Built This with Guy Raz

I am always looking for great stories about how companies were started, how ideas are birthed, and the challenges and success that come with starting your own business. This podcast is almost endless and a great way to distract yourself when you are doing dishes. — Brian Tillman

Hidden Brain

I am fascinated by people’s behaviors and how the human mind works. Every episode of this podcast leaves me feeling like I’ve learned something new and applicable to both my life and my work! — Dawna Kelley

ArtCurious: Stories of the Unexpected, Slightly Odd, and Strangely Wonderful in Art History by Jennifer Dasal

I love art and I love art history, and knowing some fun stories to associate with some of history’s great works of art helps make it even more interesting! This author also hosts a podcast by the same name, which she started producing before writing the book, so if podcasts are more your jam there are options! — Dawna Kelley

Have you read or listening to any of our picks for the month? Do you have any recommendations for us? Let us know, we’d love to hear from you!