1. Design
Thinking
Ac-on
Lab:
Assignment:
Empathize
and
Define
Team:
NextStep
Submi>ed
by
Gail
Richards

2. Empathize
and
Define
Empathy
Map
•
Say
•
Do
•
Think
•
Feel
Insights
Problem
Statement

3.
EVERYONE
knew
they
wanted
to
do
a>er
graduaAon
except
me.
•
I
was
SCARED.
•
Felt
very
RUSHED.
•
There
were
no
OPTIONS
to
not
make
a
plan
about
going
to
school.
•
Hard
to
understand
what
was
okay
to
do.
•
Some
kids
took
Ame
off
to
travel,
but
that
costs
MONEY.
•
I
didn’t
think
my
family
would
be
okay
with
me
not
going
to
college.
•
I
ended
up
being
wrong
about
that
too
late.
•
So
STRESSED
out!
•
Couldn’t
sleep
or
eat.
•
Decided
To
make
a
plan
JUST
to
have
one.
•
Having
a
plan
got
a
GREAT
reacAon
from
everyone.
•
Scared
to
death
while
geUng
ready.
Let
my
mom
handle
everything.
Went
to
college;
Loved
college,
could
NOT
get
on
top
of
classes.
•
Had
never
liked
reading,
this
was
a
problem.
•
Got
sick,
fell
more
behind.
•
Other
kids
seemed
Fine.•
I
was
a
mess
and
afraid
or
ashamed
To
get
help.
•
Did
not
think
help
would
work.
•
Came
home.
•
SAll
felt
like
college
HAD
to
be
part
of
the
next
plan.
•
Jealous
Of
friends
home
from
college
who
liked
it.
•
Angry
at
my
self.
•
No
confidence.
•
Wanted
a
job
but
felt
like
I
should
get
a
Real
job,
not
a
mall
job.
But,
I
had
no
experience
or
skills.
•
Finally
got
Ared
of
having
no
money.
•
More
feeling
Ashamed
when
I
see
people
and
they
ask
me
how
School
is
going.
•
Don’t
want
to
go
to
tradiAonal
college
but
feel
like
others
are
not
legit.
•
Hate
relying
on
my
parents
so
much.
SAY
YARGH!

4. DO
ProcrasAnated
on
details.
Became
physically
ill.
Kept
up
appearances.
Tried.
Failed.
Did
not
ask
for
help.
Didn’t
get
a
job
to
make
money
if
it
wasn’t
a
“real”
job.
Let
other’s
do
the
heavy
li>ing.
Smoked
a
lot
of
pot.
Stayed
out
late.
Saw
a
string
of
doctors,
did
not
get
be_er.
Sold
things
to
make
money.
Drew
a
lot.
Skateboarded.
Got
dumped.
Depressed.
Got
a
ta_oo.
Did
NOT
make
a
plan.
Did
not
talk
to
people.
YARGH!

5. THINK
Not
knowing
what
you
want
to
do
a>er
graduaAon
makes
you
a
loser.
Not
having
a
plan
means
you
are
clueless
and
stupid.
You
should
go
to
college
the
fall
a>er
high
school
graduaAon.
You
should
go
to
a
four-­‐year
college,
not
a
trade
school.
If
you
are
not
in
school
you
should
have
a
“real
job”
or
career
job.
Everyone
else
knows
exactly
what
they
want.
Every
one
else
is
smarter
than
me.
Needing
help
makes
you
weak.
I
will
never
get
ahead.
I
am
an
idiot.
YARGH!

6. YARGH!
FEEL
SCARED
ASHAMED
OVERWHELMED
HOPELESS
ANXIOUS
JEALOUS
CASH
POOR
SELF
CONSCIOUS
PROUD
NOT
WORTHY
STUPID
FAKE
DEPENDENT
WEAK
LOST
UNDERQUALIFIED
MESSED
UP
HOPELESS
HELPLESS

7. Insights!
The
populaAon
of
college
students
facing
the
school
to
work
transiAon
challenge
is
not
the
only
or
first,
similar
transiAon
students
face.
Students
transiAoning
from
high
school
to
whatever
is
next
is
equally
challenging
when
the
best
transiAon
may
be
to
work
and
not
immediate
or
addiAonal
higher
academic
educaAon.
Prevailing
cultural
norms
build
the
expectaAon
that
the
most
desirable
path
for
a
high
school
senior
is
to
a_end
a
four
year
college
or
university
immediately
following
graduaAon.
Trade
schools
or
training
are
viewed
as
a
compromise.
High
schools
are
doing
an
ineffecAve
job
of
showing
students
that
there
are
numerous
opAons
beyond
high
school,
not
just
tradiAonal
college,
or
that
college
does
not
have
to
happen
immediately.
High
school
supports
the
cultural
norm
of
college
as
the
most
desirable
path,
giving
it
greater
weight
than
any
other
opAons
presented…..likely
playing
to
the
expectaAons
of
its
audience:
parent
tax
payers.
This
lack
of
guidance
and
absence
of
educaAon
on
alternaAve
paths
creates
extreme
levels
of
stress
and
self-­‐doubt
for
those
who
face
it.
This
situaAon
can
create
poor
lifestyle
choices
as
well.
The
desire
to
fit
in
can
override
what
a
young
person
truly
wants
or
needs
at
this
pivotal
Ame.
Appearances
ma_er.
Young
people
may
not
be
able
to
cogniAvely
understand
that
those
around
them
are
likely
also
experiencing
self
doubt
and
fear
as
they
face
the
future.
Many
cope
with
these
feeling
by
communicaAng
definiAve
plans-­‐-­‐-­‐whether
or
not
they
are
excited,
or
even
end
up
execuAng
them.
Confidence
(real
or
faked)
can
be
very
convincing.

8. Problem Statement:
High
school
seniors
deciding
what
path
to
take
a>er
graduaAon
need
a
way
to
evaluate
numerous
opAons
when
determining
which
path
is
best
for
them
away
because
Society,
and
high
schools
in
response,
communicate
overtly
and
implicitly
that
a_ending
a
four-­‐year
college
being
the
best
opAon
for
all
students,
leaving
many
students
underserved,
confused
and
lost.