What is the Heart of Design?

The Heart of Design: Spirituality, Creativity & Entrepreneurship is a unique and timely guide to aligning professional and spiritual aspirations by designing for remembrance, not for distraction. 

With the intention to inspire a positive movement across our global community, the book reimagines contemporary design processes and strategies to include Islamic principles and perspectives; helping to empower a new wave of creatively confident, talented leaders, and equipping them with the tools they need to launch spiritually-grounded ideas that can rise up to meet our community’s challenges.

Written by award-winning strategic design leader Peter Gould, the book builds on his successful online course, which has helped hundreds of students find balance and purpose in their work over the past three years.

Who is The Heart of Design for?

Whether you’re reading the book or joining the online program, The Heart of Design is beneficial for anyone seeking to enrich their professional and personal journey but could be especially useful for:

• Aspiring entrepreneurs
• Startup founders
• Business owners
• Creative professionals
• Students preparing for life after higher education
• Community organisers

Author, instructor & guide

The Heart of Design was devised, designed, written and taught by Peter Gould.

A long-term advocate for heart-centered design, Peter strives to create meaningful cross-cultural understanding, and has worked with the likes of Apple, Google, United Nations, and a diverse portfolio that includes senior government entities, start-ups, NGOs, and globally successful products.

Peter’s contribution to design has brought international acclaim, including a major award from the Vice President of the UAE. In 2020 he was appointed as an Australia for UNHCR Ambassador in recognition of his efforts supporting refugees.

He is a recipient of the Stanford Certificate of Innovation & Entrepreneurship, and has lectured Design Thinking at the University of Technology, Sydney.

At the intersection of design, spirituality and entrepreneurship, Peter aims to inspire a global heart-centered design movement for a bright, shared future.

What’s inside The Heart of Design?

Five modules that will guide you on your journey to the Heart of Design:

Inspiring stories

The book will also feature exclusive insights from Peter’s journey, and excerpts from his conversations with scholars, entrepreneurs, academics and creative professionals who have implemented heart-centered design. Including:

How The Heart of Design started

“For more than 20 years I have worked at the intersection of design and spirituality – learning how to align my professional journey as a designer and entrepreneur with my spiritual aspirations. 

“This journey led me to seek out dozens of inspiring scholars, attend programs with incredible design leaders, and work alongside diverse creative pioneers from around the world. 

“These interactions, studies and projects have helped me to lead, develop and launch hundreds of creative projects that have inspired millions of hearts across the globe, alhamdulillah, and helped me develop heart-centered design – a spiritually-grounded approach to entrepreneurship, creative practice and life that can help us define and achieve our goals sustainably, while serving the global Ummah, inshaAllah."

“To share the knowledge and experience I had acquired, I launched an online course – The Heart of Design – in 2020, and have since taken hundreds of people through the program live, witnessing some wonderful outcomes along the way.

“Attendees have come from many different backgrounds and seasons of life — not just designers or creatives, but all kinds of professionals, students and individuals. And feedback has been overwhelmingly positive. Many students said that the program has helped them find more balance and purpose in their work, and discover new tools and processes to make real progress with their ideas.

“With this encouragement, I made the intention to turn heart-centered design into a global movement that will encourage creatively confident, talented Muslims to develop and launch their own ideas, and positively embrace a designer mindset that can help us transform communities, and meet pressing challenges together.

“So after three years of feedback and iteration – distilling ideas and expanding the course’s content – I started work on my new book: The Heart of Design: Spirituality, Creativity & Entrepreneurship. Insha’Allah we can bring this next chapter to life together, and bring huge benefit to the Ummah.”

– Peter Gould

Online program testimonials

Special thanks to all who have participated in the course over the past three years. Your insights, feedback, commitment and encouragement has been invaluable

Exploring the Book

Appeal

We need to raise funds to help with the editing, printing and distribution of The Heart of Design so that we can get the book into your hands as soon as possible and start making a positive impact for the Ummah.

You can play a crucial role in making this project a reality by pre-ordering your copy, or contributing to the campaign. 

We have designed a range of packages that will not only offer you a chance to purchase the book, but also receive exclusive merchandise, enjoy access to the online course, sponsor students in emerging economies to join the program online and in-person, and help us translate the course into additional languages.