Redesigning Finance

Catalog description

Why does finance need redesigning? Finance is something we all have to navigate yet remains complex and elusive to crack for many. It's a system that often does the opposite of design thinking: breaks down around nuance and reinforces exclusionary practices. In a world bursting with apps, products, solutions - why is this problem space still not "solved"? Why finance needs redesigning is one of the many questions we will investigate in this course. Students will explore the history of financial institutions in this country, take their design thinking skills into the field, and reimagine solutions beyond today's reality. Past years' classes have given students access to executives from Amazon Web Services, Apple, Blackrock, J.P. Morgan Chase, Munich Reinsurance, Bank of the West (now BMO), Silicon Valley Bank and Wells Fargo, the community of Paradise California, pioneering small-to-medium sized businesses founded by diverse trailblazers, and professional and student athletes seeking to manage personal finance and wealth. Recent themes for the course include financing sustainable cities and regional peace. We've found that the language of design allows us to discuss the rarely discussed challenges of finance, its impacts on families and communities, and how to shift the narrative for the better in the current and future generations.