The document summarizes empathy maps for three stakeholders: a professor, HR manager, and student. For the professor, the summary states that they feel education institutions need to do better preparing students with skills like money management, communication, writing, and analytical abilities. For the HR manager, the summary states they feel students need better preparation for things like time commitment, computer skills, professional communication and writing, and an understanding of workplace norms. HR managers also think companies need to improve training and onboarding for new employees. Finally, the student feels the biggest challenges are finding a job in a difficult economy, lack of software training, and difficulties with schedules, salaries, and experience requirements for entry-level positions.

1. Empathy Maps
Design Thinking Lab

2. Stakeholder: Professor
• Say:
• Students need:
A. Money management skills.
B. Communication skills.
• In this social media world, and with all
the different email services available,
students gain certain shortcuts and
abbreviations for writing, that are not
transferable to the professional world.
A. Much better writing skills.
B. Make analytical decisions better and
more quickly.
• Feel/Think: From my conversation with the Professor, it
was clear that she felt Education Institutions need to do
a better job with all of the above. And not just with
Seniors, but throughout the entire time the student is
participating at the school.

3. Stakeholder: HR
Manager
• Say:
• Students Need:
A. Commitment to time.
B. More Knowledge of computers and software packages
C. Writing etiquette: Too many shortcuts and abbreviations. There
is no LOL when you are emailing a Senior Staff member.
D. Time management (lunch periods, breaks etc.)
E. Working on a professional environment. (Call in sick, etc)
F. Do a better research about the company and the job. Ask
questions.
• Companies Need:
A. Better training on the job, use the buddy system. A lot of 1:1
meetings with managers or supervisor..
B. Focus on policies and procedures; for example how to do time
tracking and reporting progress.
• Universities Need:
A. Better orientation programs: Job Placement, Interview
preparation.
• Think/Feel: From my conversation with the HR
manager, it was clear that in order to get an
improvement the 3 stake holders need to do some
work: Students should research more the companies
and ask more questions; Universities need to prepare
students for the change via their orientation programs;
companies need to do a better job with induction
programs, facilitating the transition and communicating
the basics: Where and when to eat lunch, when to take
breaks, what to do when feeling sick etc.

4. Stakeholder: Student
• Say: Big issues are:
A. Finding a job while the economy is down.
B. Salary expectations, not enough research about the
marketplace
C. Unless you have a specific emphasis on your degree,
deciding what to do is hard.
D. Not enough Software Training.
E. Language and communication barriers.
F. Schedule changes: Longer days, less vacation.
G. You need experience for everything, even Entry Level
positions.
• Think/Feel: Even though there are some improvements schools
can do, most of it is related to the student's attitude towards life,
and how engaged he is.