Genuine. Thoughtful. Smart. Those adjectives describe my first impressions of Douglas Davis’ book, The Creative Strategy and The Business of Design.
I arranged a meeting with Davis at the HOW Design Live conference in Atlanta. I envisioned him to reflect the same characteristics I gleaned from his writing. He did not disappoint. We discussed his book and his HOW Design University course, which is based on the same idea, at length. I listened to him earnestly explain his motivation for writing the book. His intent is to help creatives speak the language of business so they can convey their design thinking to the decision-makers. As he talked, he proved my suspicions to be correct. This man is the epitome of genuineness and intellect. Not only is he well-informed, but also he eagerly shares his knowledge.
The Language of Business and Communicating Design:
Davis enrolled in a Master’s in Integrated Marketing program because he recognized a communication disconnect between his design thinking and his clients’ business thinking. He studied how business leaders think and the key considerations during their decision process. Davis then distilled his education into a book and an online course for other creatives’ benefit.
These resources are perfect for designers who struggle to frame their design thinking into a business context. Davis condensed his years of study into concise explanations. In both the book and the course, he highlights business concepts and their importance in the decision process. As well as defining business terminology, Davis lists his own experiences for additional insight. He believes all creatives can speak the language of business to become influencers in their design meetings. If you struggle with the business of design, pick up a copy of his book or enroll in his online course.
Davis describes how to best use the book to gain the business language not taught in design school in this short video.
Listen to Davis discuss his book at HOW Design Live 2016:
Connect with your favorite creatives and peers at HOW Design Live 2017. Learn more here.
Also check out Davis’ video on “How to Take a Punch”:
Learn to speak the language of business when you enroll in his course, The Creative Strategy and Business of Design.