SiteLearning & Craft · Design writing
Jeremy Keith's free web book on progressive enhancement, the web's material history and designing for failure.
Why it’s a gem
Free in five formats including audio; the historical grounding most devs never got
Frank Chimero's book on craft, storytelling and the why of design work, readable free chapter by chapter.
Rule-based UI design book with a free 29-page preview covering spacing, hierarchy, colour and accessible defaults.
Algorithmic CSS layout primitives — Stack, Sidebar, Switcher, Cluster — with rationale; rudiments and three layouts free.
Long guide on structuring design portfolio case studies, choosing projects and writing process narratives that get interviews.
Argument and method for improving design skill by pixel-copying excellent interfaces, with a structured practice routine.
Two-part article giving concrete visual rules — light source, spacing, contrast, saturation — for developers designing interfaces.