Our top 10 innovation books to read in 2024

Make 2024 about embracing ‘practical wisdom’, with our carefully chosen books on innovation, a mix of classics and some new.

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These aren’t just guides; they’re knowledgeable companions, with insights from real-world innovation. No jargon, just clear real-world examples, and advice from experts who’ve ‘walked-the-walk’. Between them, the authors have conducted design research to reveal valuable insights, built prototypes and tested innovative ideas for products and services with end-users. Dive into their pages to discover how wild ideas can lead to innovative reality. From quirky anecdotes to tried-and-true methods, these books will inspire you to make innovation part of your everyday life. Get ready to roll up your sleeves and start generating fresh, innovative ideas in 2024. 

Prototyping & Experimentation: 

1. The Experimentation Field Book by Jeanne Liedtka, Elizabeth Chen, Natalie Foley, and David Kester

You can hear more about the book and the importance of experiments in our blog with Jeanne Liedtka and David Kester here 

We are also offering a 20% discount off the RRP as part of the book launch. To claim your discount, simple use code CUP20 at check-out. 

Design Thinking: 

2. The Design Thinking Quick Start Guide: A 6-Step Process for Generating and Implementing Creative Solutions by Isabell Osann, Lena Mayer, Inga Wiele

Lena is one of our coaches. You can read her mini-biography here.

Service Design: 

3. This is Service Design Doing by Marc Stickdorn, Markus Edgar Hormess, Adam Lawrence, Jakob Schneider

4. Good Services: How to Design Services That Work by Louise Downe 

5. The Service Innovation Handbook by Lucy Kimbell  

Inclusive Design: 

6. Building for Everyone by Anne Jean-Baptiste   

7. Invisible Women: Exposing Data Bias in a World Designed for Men by Caroline Criado Pérez 

Ethnographic research: 

8. Outside-in by Harley Manning Kerry Bodine, Josh Bernoff

9. Ethnographic Methods by Karen O’reilly 

10. Hidden in Plain sight Ethnographic Design Research by Jan Chipchase