Humans of The Summer Studio: Ryan Miller
This article was originally posted on LinkedIn, check it out here.
Meet Ryan
First in the series is Fellow Ryan Miller, a Senior UX designer at CNH. The leadership team at CNH told us they were investing in Ryan because of his ability to build trusting relationships and his growth orientation (among other strengths). Boy were they right! Ryan is curious, ambitious, and thorough. Also: he can sketch like nobody’s business - a skill we took full advantage of during our 5-day project sprint!
We asked Ryan to tell us more:
1. What did it feel like to get hands-on during the Summer Studio week in Austin last year?
It was a breath of fresh air—collaborating with other designers around a table, solving a design problem, and then taking our concepts into the real world to test with locals. Showing up for my team every day, working through flows and processes, and pushing our ideas forward made the experience both exciting and rewarding. The best part? The connections we built. By the end of the week, we weren’t just colleagues—we were friends, bonded by small wins and shared growth.
2. What do you think future fellows should know about the week?
Be ready to step out of your comfort zone. Bring your best self, keep an open mind, and embrace the unexpected. You’ll learn new ways to warm up your thinking, discover fresh problem-solving approaches, and gain deeper insight into yourself and the kind of leader you want to be.
3. Were there any surprises?
How much fun I had! And not just because of the Austin nightlife or the birthday cupcakes Kate brought for me. The biggest surprise was how much I could push my skills and stretch my thinking—all within five days. I was impressed by how well our design process worked, how pleased the client was, and how much personal and professional growth happened in such a short time. We even ended the week celebrating with the client over drinks, which was the perfect way to cap it off.
4. What does it mean to you to be a designer today?
Being a designer today means taking responsibility for the end user—helping solve real problems and ensuring that those building the solution empathize with the user’s needs. It’s about looking at challenges from different angles, iterating often, and gathering feedback early to create meaningful, impactful experiences.
5. Is there a piece of advice or wisdom you would tell your younger designer self?
Stay curious. Really listen—to users, to subject matter experts, to the world around you. Don’t underestimate the power of quick prototyping to get ideas moving, and don’t let analysis paralysis slow you down. Keep experimenting, iterating, and learning.