The document outlines two proposals - an "Incubation Program" and reforms to the recruitment process - to help new graduates transition smoothly from school to work. The Incubation Program would form mentorship groups, provide training on both skills and behaviors, assign past projects to gain experience, and offer counseling support. It was tested using a "delphi method" and received positive feedback for structuring the onboarding process and easing the transition through initial classroom and then project work. However, concerns were raised about the time commitment required from functional leaders and the program's scalability. The recruitment reform proposes having functional leaders directly involved in selections to better understand department needs, and recruiters creating "empathy maps" depicting

1. DESIGN THINKING ACTION LAB
ASSIGNMENT
Kameswaran Subbaraman
20th August 2013

2. Problem statement
• As a consummate HR Professional whose role
not only includes hiring students just out of
college but also ensuring that they have an
environment to thrive on and achieve their
dreams, every day, She, needs a way to
ensure that the transition from school to
work is productive to both employees and
employers

3. Encourage
employees to
form a Tribe
Involve them in
decision making Challenge
employees Deliver Value
Identify Employees
for fast
development
Posters of Cultural
Pillars and Values in
work place
Ask Employees to
show and tell (talk
about a subject)
Let them do projects
for Society
Show them career
options
Career counseling
Celebrate Success Encourage problem
solving
Walk the Talk
Review Academic
Projects in depth
during selection
Make work Fun
Give Role Clarity
Pay 3X for great
talent
Talk to employees to
identify interest
Hire for Skills
Build Competency
Assign Mentor
Partner with Best for
training
Encourage to
participate in
competitions
Share
experiences of
your job
Nurture Can do
attitude
Discuss goals
Provide job Rotation
Arrange expert
Seminars
Monitor Job
performance
Reward Suitably –
Gadgets for
technical geeks
Organize training
programs
Assign on Foreign
Projects
Record
achievements
Take
employee
out for
lunch Hire From Top
universities
Support decisions
Reform Recruitment
Process
Appreciate
accomplish
ments
Build
Confidence
Conduct
Informal
Meetups
As a consummate HR Professional whose role not only
includes hiring students just out of college but also ensuring
that they have an environment to thrive on and achieve their
dreams, every day, She, needs a way to ensure that the
transition from school to work is productive to both
employees and employers

4. Idea 1
• Set up an “Incubation” Program
– I would like to address the smooth transition from
student life to work like by this program which will
include the following elements
• Mentorship – help with Do’s and Don’ts
• Develop Job skill matrix and conduct Deep dive Training
• Celebrate Success
• Inculcate Cultural Pillars
• Help with periodic Counseling
• Skill Mapping for base skills
• Recommend Design thinking class for every employee.

5. Prototype 1 – Incubation Program
Objective :
To ensure smooth absorption of Talent
To ensure adequate “Jump Start” training is
provided for employees
To ensure quality feedback cycle is set up
To ensure that adequate support during
transition

6. Prototype 1 – Incubation Program
Process:
 Form groups of 3-5 employees
 Assign a mentor for each of the groups
 Ensure that each mentor has attended the “design thinking”
course or equivalent
 Provide adequate training spanning both skills and behavioral
 Provide a project from past project repository for the teams
 Provide feedback on the job and also access to job counsellors

7. Prototype 2 –Reform Recruitment
• Reform Recruitment process
– Functional Leaders participation in selection to
be made mandatory
– Recruiters create an empathy map for the
selection drive depicting
• What Departments / Functions “Say”
• What Departments / Functions “Feel”
• What Departments / Functions “Think”

8. Test –Incubation Program
The test was basically administered using a “delphi
method” – asking functional leaders to comment
on the idea.
Positive feedback
Puts a structure to the campus recruits
Will ease students into work as the program
seems to begin with class work and get into
project mode

9. Test –Incubation Program
Positive feedback
Has very good chance to succeed
Limitations / Negative Feedback
Organizations does not have time for this kind of
programs
Survival of the fittest is a better method – darwin
to the rescue
Where will Functional leaders find the time
Will not scale beyond a point