Reading across a diverse range of topics is a good sign of maturing craft and designers. Boon's obsession with design and the human condition has led him to discover often unconventional but powerful perspectives through books. He will share how some of these books have influenced and shaped him as a designer, and talk about how that has supported his work with complex problem spaces.

1. BoonYew Chew
Elsevier
@boonych
Boon’s Book Club
How books supported my career
journey and became a foundation
for advanced design practice.
IxDA Lausanne
30 October 2018

4. —1—
History
—2—
Practice

5. History
—1—

6. A journey through design practice
And the books that took me there
< 2000 When the web was born
2007 - 2008 Discovery
2008 - 2009 Formal learning
2009 - Community of practice
2010 - ? Discipline expansion
2013 Faking typography expertise
2014 - 2015 Specialising in visual thinking
2015 - today Learning ecosystems

7. < 2000
When the web was born
Web design
Web safe colours
Usability

8. 2007 - 2008
Discovery
The search for something new
Discovering UX
Trying things out
Hitting a wall

9. 2008 - 2009
Formal learning
Expanding horizons
Pedagogical roots
Textbooks you forget
Academic papers

10. 2009 - 2010
Community of practice
UX authors who were friends
Popular books in the industry
UX book clubs
UX trends

11. 2010 - ?
Discipline expansion
Service design
Mobile UX
Lean Startup
Content strategy
Visual thinking
Web typography
etc.

12. 2013
Faking typography expertise
2013 IA Summit talk
Typography
Typography
Typography
More typography

13. 2014
Specialising in visual thinking
Old books
Learning by doing
Learning by seeing
Graphic facilitation
Unique perspectives
Advanced techniques

14. 2015 - today
Learning ecosystems
Critical perspectives
Community of practice
Tools
Habits
Situated learning
Adoption and application
Education and evangelism

15. Practice
Photo by DarwinVegher
—2—

16. Case study
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Scientific_citations.png

19. Reading habits
My drive—curiosity, critical views, and doubt
50 minute-ish (x2) commute helps
Simple tools—iPhone 7 + Kindle app or iBooks app
Kindle highlights, iBook highlights
Simplenote app for notes

20. Complexity can be
tamed, but it
requires
considerable effort
to do it well.
“
Don Norman

21. A W A R E
U N A W A R E
U N K N O W N K N O W N
W H AT YO U
K N O W YO U
D O N ' T K N O W
W H AT YO U
D O N ' T K N O W
YO U D O N ' T
K N O W
W H AT YO U
D O N ' T
K N O W YO U
K N O W
W H AT YO U
K N O W YO U
K N O W
C E R T A I N T YC A U T I O N
A M N E S I AI G N O R A N C E

22. Learning often happens by chance.
The more you do it, the luckier you get.

24. Common themes
All the books were of a critical nature.
Grounded by a sensitivity to reality, life, and truth.
You won’t find these books on your typical “must read” lists.
Perspectives provide profound insights to the human condition.

25. Final thoughts
Less time on Medium, more time building foundations
More time with other communities, experts who are learners
Invest in the long term, don't rush—learning takes time
Broaden horizons, challenge yourself to new ways of seeing

26. Thank you.
https://www.goodreads.com/review/list/4977695
boon.chew@gmail.com
@boonych