Rotman Design Challenge
About the case competition
The Rotman Design Challenge (RDC) at the Rotman School of Management brings together top talent from leading business and design schools from across the globe to propose solutions to a complex business challenge posed by an innovative and forward-thinking sponsor.
This is not just another case competition. The RDC is a unique event that allows students to learn about design frameworks in various workshops and put them into practice in a collaborative environment where they are supported by academics, professionals, and consultants from the fields of both business and design. Workshops in 2023 ranged from need finding to prototyping and storytelling.
RDC 2024
Prize Details:
1st Place: $5,000 CAD
Runners Up Teams: $3,000 CAD and $2,000 CAD
Application Process:
Team Requirements: 4-6 members; open to any graduate student from any academic or professional background; can include students from various schools.
Video Submission: A 3-minute video including:
a) Team introduction with a unique or fun fact.
b) What are some of the key issues in the world of work where design can play a role in improving outcomes for businesses and employees?
Key Dates:
January 10 - Applications Open: 12:00 AM EST
February 4 - Applications Close: 11:59 PM EST **Updated date
February 5 - Team Selection Announcement
February 9 - Challenge Kickoff
February 15 - Workshop 1 [Need Finding]
February 20 - Workshop 2 [Prototype Development]
February 28 - Workshop 3 [Storytelling]
March 21 - Finals
🏁 Our Design Challenge this year will be 100% virtual with a chance of a hybrid final.
Registrations for our 2024 challenge have closed!
Meet our sponsor this year!:
Workomics helps organizations who want to create a new future of work: inclusive and equitable, customer-centred, committed to employee engagement, and meaningfully integrated with emerging technology. We approach organizations as complex, adaptive systems that are best managed by understanding people and their relationships. With that mindset, both organizations and their people can thrive.
Workomics is at the forefront of analyzing and managing the complex dynamics of the modern workplace.
Want to know more? Visit:
Got questions? For more information, reach out to:
BusinessDesignClub@rotman.utoronto.ca
RDC 2023
2023 marks the twelfth anniversary of RDC. This year we have Sun Life Financial as our sponsor. Sun Life Financial is a premier Canadian financial services company with over CAD$1.3 trillion in assets under management operating in a number of countries, including Canada, the United States, the UK and Hong Kong.
The firm provides financial planning, life insurance, health insurance, investments services (to name a few) to over 13 million customers worldwide.
RDC 2022
2022 Winners
Previous Challenges
2021
sponsor: Canadian Tire Corp. Ltd
winning school: Parsons School of Design, new york, usa
What might Canadian Tire do to package and deliver viable solutions, centred around their portfolio of own brands, that deliver greater value to consumers, differentiate themselves in the market, and grow their role as a trusted brand?
2018
Sponsor: CIBC
Winning school: Rotman School of Management, Toronto, Canada
How can CIBC become a leader in financial planning for our clients by scaling beyond traditional channels, over the next 10 years?
2020
SOCIAL IMPACT EDITION
Winning school: the new school PARsons, New york, USA
How might we provide immediate relief to those experiencing natural disasters?
2017
Sponsor: Telus
Winning school: Kellogg School of Management, Evanston, USA
As the future of work is rapidly changing, how might TELUS develop, attract and retain top talent to achieve this aspiration over the next five years?
2019
sponsor: KinGSPAN
winning school: The new school parsons, new york, usa
Within the next 5-10 years, how can Kingspan, the global leader in high-performance insulation, building envelope solutions and a company committed to sustainability, disrupt its own business model to be the leader in the future of digital construction?
2016
Sponsor: Fidelity Labs
Winning school: Booth School of Business, Chicago, USA
How might Fidelity Investments respond to shifting demographic dynamics and best meet the emerging needs of its customers?
2015
Sponsor: Steelcase
Winning school: IIT Institute of Design, Chicago, USA
Describe how Steelcase, the world’s preeminent supplier of office furniture, and a company grounded in the research and understanding of user behavior, will continue to play to win in this evolving work environment over the next 20 years.
Past Participating Schools
Contact Us
If you are interested in sponsoring, mentoring or participating in RDC 2024, send us an e-mail.
We'll be glad to have you on board!