L.F.B.S. is a 22-year old psychology student in her 9th period of study who is passionate about psychology but anxious about her career prospects after graduation. She has gained research and internship experience but remains unsure of where she will work after graduating or whether she will need further education. She wants to help people through her work but worries that the job market demands experienced professionals and she will only have an internship. Her problem is that she needs a way to feel more confident in her career choices and less anxious about her future.

1. EMPATHY
MAP &
PROBLEM
STATEMENT{redesign:
school-to-work transition}
Felipe Lima
Design Thinking Action Lab | August.2013
By Leticia Britos Cavagnaro, Stanford University

2. STAKEHOLDER
L.F.B.S.
She is 22. Studies psychology
and is in the 9th period (of 10).
>> Almost a (graduated) Psychologist.
She is one of a kind, very intelligent and
always in a good mood
(except after bed , as she said).
She holds 4 undergraduate research
certifications and is currently working on 3
different kinds of internships trying to be
sure of what to do in the
future. {“interviewed”}

3. EMPATHY MAP
SAY Think

4. { SAY}
When I was younger I dreamed to be
an archeologist – that’s why I applied
for History. I’m quite not sure when I
decided for psychologist but I know
why: because I always loved those
crime series and I thought I could
solve some crime studying some
crazy minds.
I did some
vocational tests at
school but it
doesn’t help so
much
I’m pretty much
sure that I choose
right. I can’t
imagine being
something else
then a
psychologist.
{I do what I love, for sure.}
I wish I could
know by now
where I’m going
to work after I
graduate.
The market is very
hard to us, new
professionals, with
just internship
experience.
The market asks for pretty much
ready professionals. It is impossible
to be ready just a week after you
get out of the university. That is the
most frightening problem I foresee
to our nearly future.
I have already made
my choice: I want to
study psychoanalysis
after I graduate
Sometimes I have some difficulties
with my internship supervisor ‘cause
he is kind of different from me and I
think “I don’t want to be like that”.
What we learn at the college is quite different
from what we do in “real life”. Sometimes it is
not easy to evaluate when you need to be
more practical then “academic”.
People used to say that if I become a
clinical psychologist I would have less
incomes. They say I must study to be an
organizational psychologist once that is
more profitable then been clinical. But I
don’t care because I believe I have to
follow my vocation not my pockets
wishes.
My main goal being a psychologist is to help people
understand better who they are and why they must
live wondering they can do impossible things before
they know they were impossible.

5. { DO}
Every time she talked about the
future, she looks to somewhere
else.
Every time she talks
about psychology, she
seems to be very happy
and you could feel she
was passionate about
what she was saying.
She seems to be a little upset
about finishing the
graduation.

6. {Think}
{She
knows
what she
wants to
do for
living.}
She knows she
needs to make
an option and
the time is now.
It seems that she understand the
university is going to give her the
basic needs to be a good
professional but just the “field
experience” is what will empower
her “intellectual knowledge” with
“hands-on knowledge”.
The university
provides good
internship but do
not help students to
find out their
vocation.
The college internship experience
is very important to create a
certain level of maturity to boost
the new professionals in the
market.
Have a graduation is not enough
anymore in the 21st century. If you
want to be a better professional and
have good life, you might need
something else, like a master or even
more.
Choose a professional may not be based
on earnings but it worries and scares
every one that graduates, specially when
you are self-employed.

7. { Feel}
Facing the bructal facts:
• To be in college is good.
• To be in the market is good
but it is also cruel.
Still feeling passionate about
what you studied at college is
the first step to be a great
professional after.
Having a previous experience as
intern gives more hope to find
better jobs after college
Be encouraged by your
relatives makes the
difficulties easier during
college time and would
make it easier after.

9. PROBLEM STATEMENT
Felipe Lima
Design Thinking Action Lab | August.2013
Stakeholder needs a way to becauseneed insight
L.F.B.S needs a way to
in order to
feel more confident to her
choices
be less anxious about her
future.

10. THANKS!
Felipe Lima
Design Thinking Action Lab | August.2013
By Leticia Britos Cavagnaro, Stanford University