Hi, I’m Chay Land, founder of Chayland Design.
When I started my journey, product design wasn’t a common title. I entered the field as a graphic designer with front-end skills, working at a branding agency for startups. I thought beautiful design was the answer. And in some ways, it was—but I quickly learned it wasn’t the whole answer.
Designing clean interfaces was just one piece of a much larger puzzle.
To build products that actually resonated with users and drove results, I had to evolve. I needed to think strategically. I had to understand people deeply and communicate design decisions with clarity. No one handed me a roadmap. I learned through trial, error, late nights, and listening—really listening—to what wasn’t being said in the room.
I didn’t have a mentor. But I did have books.
Books became the mentors I didn’t know I needed—offering perspective when I was stuck, encouragement when I felt like an imposter, and frameworks that helped me grow not just as a designer, but as a business partner, a strategist, and a leader.
Over the past decade, I’ve helped startups and Fortune 100 companies build meaningful digital experiences. I’ve mentored new designers who, like me, started out thinking visual polish was enough. What I’ve come to believe is this: formal education is just the beginning. The real learning happens when you step outside your comfort zone and ask better questions.
So today, I’m sharing the books that shaped my thinking. These are the titles I return to again and again—books that helped me build confidence, articulate value, and stay curious.
14. Solving Product Design Exercises by Artiom Dashinsky
This is where it all began. The exercises felt like real-world scenarios and helped me build confidence during interviews and beyond. A must for anyone starting out.
13. Creative Confidence by Tom Kelley and David Kelley
This book unlocked a huge realization for me: our biggest roadblocks are often internal. Learning to push past perfectionism and start iterating changed the way I design.
12. The War of Art by Steven Pressfield
If you’ve ever procrastinated or felt like a fraud, read this. It helped me name resistance—and then move through it.
11. The Artist’s Journey by Steven Pressfield
Creativity isn’t a linear path. This book reminded me that ups and downs are part of the process. Growth requires getting a little uncomfortable.
10. Turning Pro by Steven Pressfield
This is the mindset shift that leveled up my work. I started showing up like a pro, even when I didn’t feel ready.
9. Deep Work by Cal Newport
Focus is your superpower. This book helped me reclaim time, reduce noise, and get into the kind of deep, strategic work that actually moves the needle.
8. Crucial Conversations: Tools for Talking When Stakes Are High by Joseph Grenny & Kerry Patterson
As designers, we don’t just push pixels—we negotiate ideas. This taught me how to speak up in high-stakes moments and stay collaborative under pressure.
7. Discussing Design by Adam Connor and Aaron Irizarry
Feedback isn’t just about listening—it’s about navigating dynamics and asking the right questions. This book made my design reviews feel like teamwork, not tension.
6. Articulating Design Decisions by Tom Greever
Design doesn’t speak for itself—you do. This book showed me how to tell the story behind the design and bring stakeholders along for the ride.
5. UX Strategy by Jaime Levy
This one helped me align user needs with business value. The value innovation framework gave me tools to design smarter, not just prettier.
4. Inspired by Marty Cagan
A behind-the-scenes look at what it really takes to build successful products. The emphasis on collaboration across disciplines reminded me: great design is never solo work.
3. Sprint by Jake Knapp
This changed how I solve big problems quickly. The “How Might We” exercise alone is worth the read—it reframed how I lead discovery and ideation.
2. Creative Strategy and the Business of Design by Douglas Davis
Design and business aren’t at odds—they’re stronger together. This book helped me bridge the gap and talk to clients in language they understand.
1. Continuous Discovery Habits by Teresa Torres
This is how you stay grounded in real user needs. I learned to treat user research as an ongoing rhythm, not a checkbox.
Final Thoughts
Each of these books helped me shift—from designer to strategist, from reactive to intentional, from curious to confident. They’re not just design books. They’re about communication, creativity, and becoming someone who builds with purpose.
If you’re on your own design path—whether you’re just starting out or leading a team—I hope these help you find your next “aha!” moment too.
The journey isn’t linear, but it’s worth it.
Keep building. Keep learning. And remember: good design doesn’t just look good. It works, it feels, and it connects.
