This document outlines an interview assignment with two senior college students completing summer internships. The goal is to develop empathy for their perspective on the school-to-work transition and identify needs related to this challenge. Questions focus on why they chose internships, how their coursework prepared them, their career plans and major choices, views on connecting school and work, and what they've learned from their internships so far. Insights indicate a need for schools to better bridge theory and practice, help students develop multi-tasking skills, and get feedback from students on course planning.

1.
-­‐Goal
Developing
empathy
for
someone
who
has
a
stake
in
the
school-­‐to-­‐work
transition,
and
defining
a
problem
or
need
he/she
has
related
to
the
challenge.
-­‐Interviewees
2
senior
college
student
who
are
doing
her
summer
internship.
-­‐
Questions
Why
you
choose
to
do
internship
this
summer?
Are
the
courses
in
your
school
satisfied
your
expectation?
Will
you
choose
the
career
related
to
your
major?
Why?
What
to
you
think
about
the
connection
of
school
to
workforce?
What
do
you
learn
from
your
internship
so
far?
Is
there
any
difference
between
what
really
happened
on
this
job
and
what
you
thought
at
first.
EMPATHY AND DEFINE
assignment
Paggy
Wang
from
Taipei,
Taiwan
Ptspaggy35@gmail.com

2.
Problem statement
Stakeholder
NEEDS A WAY TO
(describe person using empathetic language) (needs are VERBS)
DO
SAY
THINK
FEEL
BECAUSE
InsightNeed
STAKEHOLDER
Insights
Design Thinking Action Lab 2013
Senior college
Student
1.
Ability
we
need
in
the
workforce
is
quite
different
to
what
we’ve
learned
in
school.
2.
I
don’t
know
how
to
make
my
short-­‐term
career
plan.
1.
Not
sure
about
my
decision
of
future
career.
1. School
should
build
the
bridge
between
students
and
the
industry.
2.
Help
students
cultivate
multi-­‐
tasking
ability
is
important.
2.
It’s
time-­‐wasting
to
learn
old-­‐fashion
way
of
thinking.
College
Students
Get
internship
or
an
organized
mentor
system
They’re
not
sure
about
what’s
happening
in
the
real
world.
Student
can’t
decide
what
they
are
going
to
do
because
they
are
not
sure
what’s
happening
in
the
industry
they
are
going
to
devote
themselves
to
and
don’t
know
weather
it’s
right
or
wrong
about
each
step
they
take.
3.
Learning
by
doing
is
faster.
3.
Should
know
what
students
want
to
learn
before
course
planning.