I don't know it all... but this book does! (The Little Know-it-all: Common Sense for Designers - Robert Klanten)

Member Name: JJJJ

Product:	The Little Know-it-all: Common Sense for Designers - Robert Klanten
Date:	22/02/09 (192 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Unrivaled Wealth of Information

Disadvantages: Spelling Mistakes, Small Text

Imagine a book which tries to encompass all the knowledge from one specific area of study and compress it into one publication... well, 'The Little Know-it-all' does just that, it's a huge compendium of information for designers. You would think that with all this information the book would be quite large - but on the contrary, although it's quite chunky and has over 350 pages, it's only A5 in size which makes it very handy to carry around as a reference guide.

Costing £21.99 from Amazon, the book may seem expensive, but to me, the price seems very reasonable considering the wealth of information stored within its pages. The book's blue cover (depicting a man who bizarrely resembles Hitler!) is softback and made of a wipe-clean plastic surface - handy for any paint spills, or general messy design catastrophes.

So how is the book useful?
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Over the last decade, the job of a designer has evolved. Nowadays, clients expect the person who is designing their logo, brochure or website to be able to work in a variety of media, and have specific knowledge of all aspects of the design process. Unfortunately, design graduates (and this is very true of myself) leave uni without the theoretical foundation and hands-on experience to cope with the design process as a whole and may eventually be confronted with a situation which is alien to them. You could argue that all the design information you need can be found on the Internet - but locating it can often be a long-winded process, and considering the amount of dodgy information scattered across the web, I would rather take my chances with the advice featured in this book which has been compiled by designers for designers.

The Layout
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The book is divided into the chapters 'Design', 'Typography', 'Digital Media', 'Production', 'Marketing', 'Law', and 'Organisation', with each of these sections ending with a few blank lined pages for notes. The writing is easy to understand, and is suitable for a range of skill levels, from the beginner right through to the more capable designer.

Although the book is very text heavy, there are a wealth of illustrations which help the reader visualise many of the points raised. The text itself is quite small - big enough for me to read, but those with poor eyesight may need the aid of a magnifying glass. Another downside is the fact that there are quite a few spelling mistakes throughout the pages - probably due to the fact that the original book was German, and the content has been translated.

The index is well organized and features over 2000 technical terms and keywords - essential for a book of this nature where you may need to flick to a certain section rather than read the book from cover to cover.

I would highly recommend 'The Little Know-it-all as a must-have reference book for designers. The mix of common sense, expert knowledge, and general time saving tips has ensued that this book stays within arm length of me when I'm working.

Due to the fact that it contains an unparalleled amount of vital information spanning the whole process of design, I would go as far as saying that this handy little guide book is the best available.

ISBN: 978-3-89955-167-9

Summary: Ultimate Design Book