Columbia Investment Management Company

A client project under Design For Social Innovation, working with the Columbia IMC (Investment Management Company), a wholly-owned subsidiary of Columbia University managing the University's $14B endowments, as a design researcher. Advising the IMC on aligning the endowment with the overall mission of the University including excellence in research, innovation/startups, sustainability, ESG, and DEI (Diversity, Equity, Inclusion).

overview

About the Project

Abstract: This is an innovation project aimed to solve real-world problems on behalf of social sector client. Our client is the IMC, and we were brought in to look at their organizational and programmatic challenges through the lens of design thinking and human-centered design. We were challenged with the statement: “How might we best align and connect our work at Columbia’s endowment with the overall mission of the University?” (University Mission: research, teaching, innovation, sustainability, and DEI).

The Solution: A decision tree that leads to 3 outcomes: ESG Specialist Job Description, Online Training Platform, and ESG Conferences.

Timeline: 4 months

Team: Ji Yeon, Sajan, Naomi, Anna, and Josephine

My Role: Design Research, Client Liaison