Gathering stuff
Now it's time to narrow down your ideas and gather the specific resources that will support and underpin your design concept.
This page includes links to online platforms where you can find journal articles, statistics and books relating to design.
Academic articles can be found in a few places, such as Library databases and Google Scholar. Below is a list of databases that contain academic articles relating to design and visual communication:
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Communication and Mass Media Complete This link opens in a new windowCommunication & Mass Media Complete (CMMC) is a communication studies database. It provides full-text, indexing and abstracts for many top communication journals covering all related disciplines.
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Emerald Insight This link opens in a new windowFind research papers, case studies and articles relating to communications, marketing and business.
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Arts and Humanities Database (ProQuest) This link opens in a new windowSearch for articles relating to art, design, crafts, photography, archaeology, anthropology, classical studies, architecture, interior design, urban planning, history, philosophy, religion, modern languages, literature, music, theatre, film and cultural studies.
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JSTOR This link opens in a new windowSearch JSTOR to find images and articles relating to design, art and a wide range of other discipline areas.
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Art and Architecture Source This link opens in a new windowArt and Architecture Source covers a broad range of related subjects, from fine, decorative and commercial art, to various areas of architecture and architectural design.
You can find data and statistics on industries or communication channels to support your project from these sources:
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WARC This link opens in a new windowA comprehensive marketing information service. It provides marketing and communications case studies, research papers, conference reports and authoritative forecasts of advertising expenditure for all major economies.
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Statista This link opens in a new windowStatista is a database that consists of market data from more than 600 industries. It provides access to relevant data from numerous sources and includes a list of statistics, studies and reports.
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IBISWorld This link opens in a new windowIBISWorld's Australia Industry Reports (ANZSIC) include a definition of the industry, key statistics, critical factors for success, information on the major players, market characteristics, industry segmentation and industry outlook.
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Business Source Complete This link opens in a new windowSearch this database to find academic articles and business reports relating to marketing, communication design, business and industry intelligence.
Books and e-books
We mentioned books in the Finding Inspiration part of this guide, but books and e-books can also be a useful place to find more information about the design ideas you are starting to gather. Below are some useful e-books to help you gather more information about design and designers:
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World History of Design
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Publication Date: 2015This is the definitive historical account of global design from prehistory to the end of the Second World War, by pre-eminent design scholar Victor Margolin. These two richly illustrated volumes contain over 850 images. -
Universal Principles of Design: 200 ways to increase appeal, enhance usability, influence perception, and make better design decisions
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Publication Date: 2023A comprehensive, cross-disciplinary encyclopedia, that covers guidelines and considerations that are important to successful design. It provides clear explanations of design concepts with visual examples of the ideas in practice. -
The Pocket Universal Principles of Design
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Publication Date: 2015This pocket edition of the bestselling design reference book contains 150 essential principles. -
The Principles and Processes of Interactive Design
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Publication Date: 2023Aimed at new designers and creatives from across the design and media disciplines who want to learn the fundamentals of designing for user experience and user interface (UX/UI) projects.
Further resources
There are so many great books and e-books on design aspects such as typography, UX design, gaming environments, and graphic design principles. Below are a few more titles that may peak your interest.
- Introduction to Graphic Design: A Guide to Thinking, Process, and Style (2nd Ed)
- Grids for Graphic Designers (3rd ed)
- Web and Digital for Graphic Designers
- Designing Type
- The Fundamentals of Typography (3rd Ed)
- Introduction to Digital Media Design: Transferable Hacks, Skills and Tricks
- Format for Graphic Designers
E-book collections
The following collections of e-books can also be helpful for you to gather more information about design techniques and practical elements of design.