Daniel Martin Feige examines in his book the philosophical concept of Design as an omnipresent fact. As Design has not been covered well throughout philosophy, Feige takes on the challenge by stating that within Design, even function becomes aesthetic. The book is meant as an introduction for Designers in the field of Philosophy as well as a statement towards Design itself.

Book on Amazon.com:

Design: Eine philosophische Analyse by Daniel Martin Feige

This book is a compact guide originally designed for Social Science students that will also help you through the investigative phase of a design project. It explains from start to finsih how to break down the complexity of a research projects into managable questions. Additionally it provides a broad range of examples that will let you avoid common mistakes. To make the transfer to the research process of design is not hard as Social Science and Design rely on observation.

Ebook on Amazon.com:

Developing Research Questions by Patrick White

As one of the original Designers, Leonardo Da Vinci raised the bar quite a bit. His beautiful art and masterful pieces of invention build the basis for modern Design which merges the best of art and engineering. In this book by prize-winning author Charles Nicholl, the reader gets pulled into an 'intimate portrait' of Leonardo Da Vinci. This work displays a mastery of portrait literature as seldomly seen.

Ebook on Amazon.com:

Leonardo Da Vinci: The Flights of the Mind by Charles Nicholl

Already in its 5th edition, this book is a book by John W. Creswell that speaks for itself. This book helps you to set up the research design of a project by explaining the different methodologies being qualitative, quantitive and mixed methods. Additionally, John W. Creswell implemented key elements of the research process as well as a review of the literature and much more.

Ebook on Amazon.com:

Research Design: Qualitative, Quantitative, and Mixed Methods Approaches

Where did it all began? In fact it is not a question that can be answered yet but their are many indicators on the where and the why which "The First Artist" explores.

Paul Bahn and Michel Lorblanchet ditch the Eurocentric perspective on the topic and compare findings from across the world. Similar to Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson they start building up a map from their clues. Along the way they encounter curiosities like the “Makapansgat cobble" from South Africa which was not carved but weathered. Many techniques were originally not put into account of intentional artistic creation but here we get the chance to explore the The First Artists in their full representation.

Book on Amazon.com:

The First Artists: In search of the world's oldest art

One basic thing that most human cultures have in common is the effort and detail of buring their dead. These ceremonies come with an eye for detail and hundreds of years of tradition. The Palaeolithic archaeology of the Ice Age gives uns an insight on how these pracices developed. The Palaeolithic Origins of Human Burial is a new approach to bring this topic closer to us and show the common and very specific procedures. It is a great survey and origin to start when talking about the history of design.

Book on Amazon.com:

The Palaeolithic Origins of Human Burial

The Story of Art, is probably the most famous and popular book on art ever written.

It is a world bestseller for over four decades and was translated into over 30 languages. It's beauty lies in the way it is written, less like a dry history book and more like a story book about art and its context. Professor Ernst. H. Gombrich knew how to attach deep knowledge to an adventurous storyline. This compelling piece of literature should find a space in your home if you are truly interested in exploring the origins of art and everything that is connected to it.

Book on Amazon.com:

The Story of Art