About
Bryan cut his teeth as an electrical engineer at Oak Ridge National Labs, helping entrepreneurs repurpose Lab technology to create new commercial products. Frustrated by low success rates and a desire to understand the creative process, Bryan has spent the last 12 years studying and practicing the science of innovation through human-centered design, systems thinking, and innovation strategy. Bryan has now led 30+ initiatives in over a dozen industries to help top brands like Ocean Spray, First Horizon Bank, Motorola, and Clayton Homes design new products, services and experiences that made a real market impact. Bryan is also an adjunct professor at the University of Tennessee, teaching Design Thinking and New Product Design.
Design research, organizational design, business strategy, industrial design, UX design, software engineering, AI engineering
Philosophies
Equal parts strategy and creativity
I believe strongly that designers and strategists belong in the same room. Without the divergent thinking of creatives, the best solution may not be discovered. Without the convergent thinking of strategists, the best solution may not be implemented.
Top down, bottom up, outside in, inside out
All too often, the only point of view considered is that of top leadership in an organization. In any given project, it is critical to understand all points of view from stakeholders in order to develop a solution that truly works for everyone. I have a bias toward conducting in-depth discovery with top executives, entry level employees, and customers alike to find where the real opportunities lie.
A broader take on innovation
When businesses think about innovation, the focus is almost always on developing a new product or service. I work with companies to explore opportunities for breakthrough more broadly, by also looking at profit model, channel, customer experience, and more.
Value is in the implementation
There is nothing more disappointing than a breakthrough idea that dies on the shelf. When working with clients, I push toward solutions that are not only inspiring, but also implementable. It's worth making some sacrifices to get an idea to market.