Book Design
A foundational design education book created to simplify and democratize the understanding of design for students, parents, and beginners entering the field.
KYOORIUS DESIGN AWARD WINNER 2024
Market Research, Book Design, Storytelling,
Illustrations, and Print.
Authored by Sanjay Reddy & launched in 2024, the book was developed as a response to the growing disconnect between the increasing interest in design education in India and the lack of accessible introductory resources that explain whatdesign actually is.
The project aimed to bridge this gap through a structured visual and conceptual system that introduces design thinking, creativity, observation, systems, and problem-solving in a simplified and relatable manner.
This book was launched by Dr. Joseph Emmanuel, the Chief Executive and Secretary of the Council for the Indian School Certificate Examinations (CISCE) and Aaquib Wani, Founder & Creative Director of Aaquib Wani Design.
Design education in India is often misunderstood as being limited to aesthetics, drawing, or software skills, leaving many aspiring students without clarity about what design truly is or how designers think. Introduction to Design was created as a response to this growing gap within India’s evolving design education landscape - an accessible and visually engaging resource designed to simplify complex design concepts without diluting their depth.
Approached as a design education system rather than a conventional book, the project combined visual storytelling, structured layouts, illustrations, diagrams, and relatable observations to reduce intimidation around design learning and make design feel approachable, contemporary, and culturally relevant. The communication intentionally moved away from heavily academic language, focusing instead on clarity, curiosity, and progressive understanding through familiar everyday experiences rooted in the Indian context.
The book drew references from Indian public systems, crafts, transportation, products, signage, markets, and common interactions to help readers recognise design within their daily surroundings rather than perceive it as something distant or exclusive. A modular visual and content framework was developed to simplify information hierarchy while balancing educational rigour with accessibility through typography, pacing, and illustration-led explanations.
Rather than positioning design purely as a career path or entrance examination objective, the project framed design as a way of observing, understanding, and improving experiences. The outcome was a foundational educational resource that contributed toward increasing awareness around design thinking, creativity, and problem-solving while integrating into mentorship ecosystems, workshops, and broader conversations around design education in India.
The book won the Kyoorius Design Award in 2024 for 'entire book category', and it was later placed in the Army Library in Jammu & Kashmir
The book received a strong response across a wide spectrum of readers - from school students exploring creative fields for the first time to college students, working professionals, and individuals transitioning into design from engineering, business, and other disciplines. It became a foundational resource not only for Bachelor’s and Master’s design aspirants preparing for examinations such as NID, UCEED, CEED, and NIFT, but also for readers seeking a clearer understanding of design thinking, creativity, and problem-solving beyond formal education.
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