Building the Next Generation of Human-Centred Leaders
Embedding Service Design Into UVic’s Master of Management Program
The University of Victoria’s Peter B. Gustavson School of Business set out to create a Master of Management program that would prepare students to navigate ambiguity, understand people and lead meaningful change in organizations.
J5 partnered with Gustavson to help create and continuously improve the program by integrating service design methods into the business curriculum using applied learning, coaching and real-world problem solving. Our team served as adjunct professors, coaches and mentors, giving students practical tools and new ways of working that complemented their broader management education.
Alongside teaching, we evaluated the student experience over time, gathering feedback and identifying opportunities to improve how the program was structured, delivered and experienced. This created an ongoing cycle of learning and refinement that allowed the program to evolve alongside the needs of its students.
INDUSTRY
Education
CLIENT
University of Victoria
WHY IT MATTERS
Tomorrow’s leaders will need more than traditional business knowledge. They must be able to listen deeply, collaborate across disciplines, challenge assumptions and design solutions around the needs of the people they serve.
By integrating service design into the Master of Management curriculum, students gained practical experience applying human-centred methods to complex, real-world challenges. At the same time, our ongoing evaluation helped Gustavson understand the program through the eyes of its students and continually improve the learning experience.
This partnership did more than introduce a new subject into the curriculum. It demonstrated how service design can strengthen both what students learn and how education itself is designed and delivered.
PROCESS HIGHLIGHTS
J5 team members served as adjunct professors, coaches and mentors, integrating service design tools, mindsets and applied learning into the Master of Management curriculum.
We created an ongoing feedback loop with students, faculty and program leaders, evaluating the student journey, identifying moments that mattered and recommending improvements that allowed the program to evolve over time.
Impact
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Student Level
Equipped students with practical service design tools for understanding people, framing complex challenges, developing new possibilities and testing ideas.
Created opportunities to apply academic learning to real organizational challenges with support from experienced practitioners.
Helped students build confidence navigating ambiguity, working collaboratively and approaching business decisions from a more human-centred perspective.
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Faculty and Program Level
Provided faculty and program leaders with direct insight into student expectations, challenges and experiences across the learning journey.
Identified moments that mattered, from onboarding and academic support to networking, belonging and career preparation to guide ongoing program improvements.
Introduced new teaching methods, coaching practices and experiential learning tools that complemented the existing business curriculum.
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Organizational Level
Helped Gustavson differentiate the Master of Management through a distinctive combination of business education, service design and real-world application.
Established an ongoing approach to evaluating and improving the program with students rather than making changes based only on institutional assumptions.
Created a foundation for continuous innovation, helping the school respond to changing student needs while strengthening engagement, satisfaction and long-term program value.