Where Relationality Shapes Design, Knowledge, and Digital Futures

Exploring the relationships between 

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about

I am a designer, educator, and design researcher working across graphic design, UX, digital media, and pedagogy. My design practice brings research and creative exploration together to address complex communication challenges and develop meaningful visual and digital experiences.
My research explores decolonial design, knowledge systems, digital ethics, data sovereignty, and emerging technologies. Informed by more than a decade of building relationship and engaging in collaborative inquiry with Indigenous Elders and knowledge keepers, my work examines how design can make space for diverse ways of knowing and respond to ethical questions in digital contexts.
I hold a Practice-Based PhD in Graphic Design and Digital Media from Anglia Ruskin University, where my research brought together UX, decolonial inquiry, and research-creation. I also hold a Master of Design (MDes) from the University of Alberta, and a Bachelor of Design (BDes) from OCAD University.

practice

I approach design as a research-informed practice, bringing graphic design, UX, and digital media together to examine dominant ways of knowing, explore emerging technologies, and imagine more accountable ways of shaping human experiences.

Ethical Motion Graphics

Reimagining complex immigration law through story-driven motion graphics that make information more accessible and engaging.


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Design Knowledge & Digital Systems

A practice-based inquiry into how UX and digital systems can respond to diverse knowledge systems, relationships, and contexts.


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Immigration Compliance L&D Framework

An instructional design framework that transforms complex immigration compliance requirements into accessible and experiential learning.


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Organizational Rebrand Strategy

A strategic rebranding initiative aligning organizational identity, stakeholder perspectives, and organizational vision to establish a cohesive brand direction.


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Research

Teaching
Teaching Philosophy
My teaching is grounded in a relational approach to learning. I see the classroom as a space where students' experiences, perspectives, and ways of understanding come into dialogue with concepts, contexts, and one another. When students feel seen, respected, and supported, they are more able to explore ideas, build confidence, and discover new possibilities.

I use example-based learning to connect complex ideas with contexts and experiences students can recognize and relate to. Examples create bridges between abstract concepts and lived experience, helping students understand not only what an idea means but why it matters. In practice-based fields such as design and digital media, I bring theory into practice through research-creation, making, iteration, and reflection.

I aim to create an open and respectful learning environment where students' voices matter and dialogue becomes part of the learning process. I see my role as supporting students as they develop their own perspectives and grow into practitioners. Through participation, experimentation, feedback, and reflection, students learn to make informed decisions, take responsibility for their work, and grow in confidence.

Ultimately, I see learning as more than the acquisition of knowledge. It is a collaborative process of questioning, making, reflecting, and creating meaning, through which students develop not only their creative abilities but also a deeper understanding of themselves, others, and the contexts in which they work.

Let's think together to align creativity with purpose, resolve complexity through thoughtful inquiry, and create meaningful design experiences.

©2026 Piyush Mann. Committed to Design, Research, and Education.