J. Ryan Garner | Designer + Educator

about

I’m a Principal Designer and Product Manager based in Knoxville. In short, I help others turn their ideas into products or processes.

I’m also an experienced teacher and student, which means I naturally explore how concepts are structured and how they shape the world.
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I uniquely integrate these qualities by applying critical research to thoughtful craftsmanship. This allows me to systematically explore ideas and create actionable blueprints for them.
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Overall, my career is dedicated to human flourishing. It’s critically important to me that my work is accessible and adaptable for anyone. In design or education, I want it to be a resource for others’ ideas and future projects.

think

Learning is the cornerstone of my personal and professional life. I like to say that I seek creativity through understanding, and understanding through creativity. With over a decade of experience as an instructor and scholar, I’ve created lab-like spaces for experimenting with new ideas and applications.

Secondary Instruction

Inaugurated novel rhetorical studies courses and developed curricular infrastructures that promoted interdisciplinary learning and loyalty.

Higher Education

Introduced first generation college students to critical study and initiated applied inquiry models in religion and philosophy courses.

Corporate Training

Led and created enterprise level courses in creative/office software for a national recognized training service.

UX Research

Studying data-driven insights about how people interact with interfaces, always considering broader cultural and systemic perspectives.

Digital Ethnography

Exploring how humans and machines interact, focusing on how these relationships are shaped by (and will shape) our cultural position.

Ryan is a designer and educator

who bridges the gap between

thinking and making.