The Design Compass: I'm writing a book!

I’ve spent most of my career working in the thick of complexity — with governments, public services, start-ups, corporates, and communities. Again and again, I’ve seen how design is often treated as a “step in the process,” or a shiny workshop to tick a box. But the truth is, design isn’t a linear recipe. It’s a voyage.

Sometimes the seas are calm, sometimes they’re stormy. There are moments of clarity, and others when you feel utterly lost.

What matters is the compass you carry with you — the principles and practices that help you navigate, no matter the conditions.

That’s what The Design Compass is about.

What’s inside

The book is anchored around ten principles of human-centred design — things like designing with empathy and dignity, redistributing power through co-creation, making complexity simple, and holding ourselves accountable through critique and reflection.

But principles alone don’t get us very far. So the book also dives into the practices that help us act on those principles: researching, prototyping, leading, building service architecture, and even tackling tricky organisational currents like politics, silos, and cost-to-serve trade-offs.

And because theory only gets us so far, the final section of the book shares case studies that show what this looks like in practice — the ports of call where the voyage touches real lives and systems.

Why BIS?

BIS Publishers have been creating thoughtful, beautiful books on design and creativity for decades. Their catalogue is full of titles that have inspired me and countless others in the field. Having The Design Compass join their list feels like the right home — one that balances rigour with accessibility, and design thinking with design doing. I spoke with many publishers, but BIS got it - and we clicked pretty clickly. I am so bloody excited about this next big step in my own personal journey and thankful to be in a place where I feel ready and supported to take this step.

What’s next

I’m deep in the writing now, and it’s both exhilarating and daunting. Over the next year, I’ll share more glimpses — sketches, ideas that didn’t make the cut, and maybe even opportunities to test some of the tools and frameworks before the book launches.

If you’re someone who has ever struggled to embed design in a big organisation, or wondered how to keep humans at the centre when systems feel overwhelming, I hope this book will offer a compass you can carry into your own work.

This is a project born out of gratitude — for the mentors, colleagues, podcast guests, and communities who have taught me along the way. My hope is that it becomes something useful, not just inspiring. Something you can return to when the waters get rough.

The voyage is underway. Thanks for being part of it and if you're not, and want to be, feel free to sign up to the newsletter - it's going to be a fun ride and would you to join me on the journey!

— Gerry

Photo Credit of myself and my son by the Irish sea this weekend: Rachael Dietkus

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