As part of a Design Thinking course, we are tasked to create an Empathy Map. After completing an interview, I've mapped highlights into the Say, Feel and Think sections. Then conclude with a problem statement. https://venture-lab.org/designthinking

1. SAY“It's important to
follow my passion.”
“Shifting out of this rigorous
program into a more aligned
lifestyle”
“My body is changing, my lungs are opening
up, feeling the freedom and safety to live and
take on new projects.”
“I recently identified with
myself as someone who is not
in grad school”
“The way I responded [to the extreme
workload] was to get very focused, hold my
breath, detach from my emotional self and it
became more about ‘doing’.”
“I have permission to be passionate and inspired, no longer so rigid, more in my body.”
“I have more internal permission, social and community permission, to be more of who I am.”
“I’ve been mourning and grieving the loss; I
invested time and money and energy and put
myself out there, then dropped out.”
“I would have leveraged the stability and put down
some foundational work. It would be cool not to feel
so flustered now. “
“I would fully research the options and lay foundation so it’s a bit easier to transition”
“If I’m feeling passionate
about writing my business
plan, then I will do that”
EMPATHY MAP

2. Think & Feel
Intrepid
Confident
Seeking clarity and assurance
Craving foundational structure
Committed
Passionate
Relaxed and relieved Free and fully expressed
Desiring security of a defined path
Bright, passionate and driven, recent dropout of a Chinese Medicine grad
program, entrepreneurial and taking the leap, eager in seeking authenticity and
full expression of her being.
STAKEHOLDER needs a way to create foundational stability BECAUSE work life
of an entrepreneur is much less structured than a grad program.
PROBLEM STATEMENT
Insights
While the transition from
an intensive education can
be a great relief, it also can
induce a sense of anxiety
in it’s absence of stability
and structure.
Providing a helpful
structure and/or
foundation could facilitate
a more successful
transition from school to
work.
EMPATHY MAP