Do you want to deepen your strategic toolkit, improve your problem-solving, and stand out in competitive post-MBA roles?  As course selection draws near (Oct 23-29), the Rotman Business Design Initiative (BDI) is highlighting our specialized elective offerings for Spring Term 2027:

• RSM2527 – Design Research and Insight-Driven Storytelling
• RSM2528 – Service Design: Innovating Service-Based Organization.

RSM2527H: Design Research and Insight-Driven Storytelling
Building human-centered strategy

When: Mondays, 3:45 – 6 PM (first class is January 25) Taught By: Emma Aiken-Klar, PhD, Academic Director – Rotman Business Design Initiative

Final Exam: No exam; final major assessment is a report with group project presentation. Industry Sponsor?: Yes, TBC. Last year’s sponsor was the Toronto Transit Commission.
Prerequisites: None. Some familiarity with basic Business Design methodologies and frameworks may be helpful, but is not required.  

What is Design Research?
Ground strategic decisions in how people think and behave. Combine ethnographic research with business design to uncover unmet needs, challenge assumptions, and identify opportunities to create value.

What Will You Learn?
Practice observation and in-depth interviewing. Translate research data into strategic insight, and create evidence-based strategic narratives that guide decisions and drive action.

Why Does It Matter For Business? Understand where to compete, what to offer, and how to deliver value. Apply these skills across consulting, strategy, marketing, product and service design, and organizational change.

_________________________________________________________________

RSM2528: Service Design: Innovating Service-Based Organizations
Connecting customer experience with organizational delivery  

When: Tuesdays, 3:45 – 6 PM (first class January 26)
Taught By: Instructor TBC
Final Exam: No exam; final major assessment involves a group project.
Prerequisites: None


What is Service Design?
Connect what customers experience with how an organization delivers value. Examine the people, processes, technologies, and interactions that shape a service.

What Will You Learn?
Use human-centered methods, journey mapping, and service blueprinting to analyze services and design improved experiences. Connect customer needs with organizational capabilities and practical changes to delivery.

Why Does It Matter For Business? Differentiate services and improve outcomes for customers and employees. Apply these skills across consulting, strategic innovation, customer experience, and service operations.

Who Should Take These Courses? These electives are best suited for ambitious students and future leaders who want to: Differentiate themselves and stand out in interviews by demonstrating hands-on experience with modern business design and problem-solving frameworks. Translate abstract business strategy into tangible customer realities.  Fulfill requirements under Rotman’s Innovation, Entrepreneurship and Business Design Emphasis.

Next Steps & Course Selection Course Selection Window: October 23 to 29, 2026.

Need more guidance? Reach out to the BDI team at businessdesign@rotman.utoronto.ca to map out your elective choices alongside your internship and career goals.