Get our latest book: Design Leadership Handbook

We’ve just added another book to the Design Better library. The Design Leadership Handbook is a practical guide for designers stepping into leadership roles, offering a clear roadmap for managing teams, scaling design operations, and shaping product vision. Drawing on real-world insights from design leaders at top companies like Netflix, Airbnb, Slack, Facebook, and Spotify, this book addresses the challenges of transitioning from individual contributor to design leader. Through engaging stories and actionable frameworks, it teaches how to build a high-performing team, manage with empathy, operationalize design processes, and influence across your organization.

Length: 73 pages

Available in PDF and epub formats, free for Design Better Premium subscribers

Whether you’re leading your first team or scaling design at a growing company, this handbook will help you navigate leadership with confidence. You’ll learn how to hire and coach effectively, give and receive feedback, run design critiques and retrospectives, and partner cross-functionally. With examples from companies like 3M, Twitter, and Mailchimp, this book is a must-read for anyone looking to elevate their impact and build a resilient, visionary design practice.