Hello Reader,

I’ve been holding onto this one for a while, and I’m so excited to finally share it: I’ve signed a publishing deal with BIS Publishers in the Netherlands to write my first book.

It’s called The Design Compass (working title) and it will be out in 2026.

This book has been quietly brewing for years. If you’ve ever joined one of my courses, listened to the podcast, or been part of a workshop, you’ll know I talk a lot about design not as a neat, linear process, but as a voyage—one full of currents, storms, and unexpected discoveries. That metaphor has now become the spine of the book.

At its heart, The Design Compass is about the ten principles of human-centred design that I believe are essential if we want to create services and systems that truly serve people. From designing with dignity and empathy, to navigating politics and silos, to embedding service architecture and measuring what matters—it’s all in there.

The book is structured like a journey:

• Setting the Compass – the principles that guide us.
• Choosing the Journey – the practical methods that get us moving.
• Sailing the Seas – how to embed and scale design inside organisations.
• Ports of Call – case studies that show it in action.

BIS Publishers are known for beautifully crafted, thoughtful books on design and creativity, and I couldn’t imagine a better home for this project. They've been the publishers of choice for many of the people I hold close to my heart, and look up to and learn more. So I am so excited to share this news with you 🥹

I’ll be sharing more over the coming months—sneak peeks, behind-the-scenes stories, and hopefully opportunities to get involved. If you're reading this, it probably means you on my newsletter which will be the best place to hear about call outs for case studies, and opportunities to get involved in some way.

If you’ve ever wrestled with what it means to bring design into complex organisations, or wondered how to keep humans at the centre when systems feel overwhelming, this book is written with you in mind.

Thank you—as always—for being part of this journey.

I can’t wait to take the next steps together.

Warmly,

Gerry

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If you like what I do, there are a few things you can to help me. I am 100% independent. This means, I work for myself and have availability for one more training project in 2025. I work internationally and if you feel like there might be an opportunity for us to collaborate by training your design team, please do get in touch by replying to this email.

Lastly, if that isn't possible, please leave a review for my podcast here.

Have a great week!
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Gerry Scullion​ Founder & Designer Connect with me on LinkedIn | Join our Directory | Write a podcast review for This is HCD Podcast​

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