1.
For UT Engineering’s KTE
Mentorship Program

2.
About Me

3.
Disclaimer
•Contextualize this to your life
•Dive deeper for the nuances
•ECAC career counseling

4.
What is Design Thinking?

5.
Solving Problems
Engineering
• Clear goal
• Known algorithms
• Hard data + science
• Examples: bridge, diesel
Design
• Vague goal
• Non obvious algorithms
• Creative, evolving, surprising
• Examples: MacBook,
Instagram

6.
Stable Problems
Criteria
Conditions
Objectives
Steady Dynamic
Wicked Problemsv.

7.
Attributes of Design Thinking
•Problem reframing
•Radical collaboration
•Curiosity
•Mindful of process
•Bias toward action
•Counterintuitive
insights
•”What’s it for?”
•Intention
•Asking better
questions

8.
Figuring out your career is a
wicked design problem.

9.
Why is it so hard?

10.
Gravity Problems
Dysfunctional Beliefs

11.
Gravity Problems
•Stuff you just can’t change!
•”I can’t figure out how to fly – I just
keep falling when I jump!”

12.
Gravity Problems
If it’s not actionable, it’s not a
problem. It’s a situation,
circumstance, or constraint. To
“solve” it, you must accept it.

13.
You might just need to re-frame…

14.
Gravity Problems @UT
•”I can’t go to expo because my co-op won’t
let me take days off, what do I do!?”
•Frame: Fall expo is the only way to get an offer
•Revise Frame: Cultivating individual
relationships helps employers know your
unique interest in their company, and Expo
is a good way to do that.

15.
What are some other
gravity problems at UT?

16.
Dysfunctional Beliefs
•Unhelpful or inaccurate
•Too broad or general
•Uses absolutes and modals
•“should”, “never”, “always”

17.
Dysfunctional Beliefs
Are these beliefs helpful to
get long-term fulfillment or
happiness? Unnecessary
pressure can lead to bad
decision making.

18.
Dysfunctional Beliefs @UT
“I’m a _ major, so I should do _”

19.
Dysfunctional Beliefs @UT
“I’m a _ major, so I should do _”
College is where you explore your interests, so it
often makes sense to do things other people in
your major are doing. But you’re not just in
Cockrell, you’re in UT! Only 27% of people work
in a field directly related to their major.

20.
Dysfunctional Beliefs @UT
”I need to work for a top company”

21.
Dysfunctional Beliefs @UT
”I need to work for a top company”
I should work at a company that’s a good fit
for my individual personality, interests, and
goals. Prestige is just one component of that.

22.
Dysfunctional Beliefs @UT
”If I don’t get a job in the Fall, I’ll never be
employed at a good company”

23.
Dysfunctional Beliefs @UT
”If I don’t get a job in the Fall, I’ll never be
employed at a good company”
The fall is a great opportunity to learn about
companies with structured university recruiting
programs, but most companies don’t have one.

24.
Just follow your passion!

25.
Just follow your passion!

26.
Why not?

27.
Passion is an outcome
You might be lucky and have something you’re
passionate about, but most people don’t and
that’s ok! Passion is something that comes
from a process.

28.
But what’s that process?

29.
Learn
DoReflect

30.
Learn

31.
Learn: What’s Possible?
•Talk to people
•Student organizations
•Academic, cultural, your own, etc
•Content that brings wide perspectives
•Podcasts (Interviews), blogs/vlogs, books
•Use interest (not passion) as a guide

32.
Do

33.
“No plans for your life will survive
first contact with reality.”
-Bill Burnett & Dave Evans

34.
“Most of the world makes decisions
by either guessing or using their gut.
They will either be lucky or wrong.”
-Mixpanel

35.
What’s the answer?

36.
Experiences
Conversations
Prototyping!

37.
Prototyping: Attributes
Learning Low Cost
($ & time)

38.
Prototype Experience Example

39.
Prototype Experience Example
•Break it down:
•boredom, loneliness, time away from home,
not knowing the language, meeting new
people

40.
Prototype Experience Example
•Break it down:
•boredom, loneliness, time away from home,
not knowing the language, meeting new
people
•Prototype: Solo trip somewhere nearby

41.
Prototype Experience
•Closer to the ”true” experience
•Harder to do
•Takes more time
•Limited in #

42.
Prototype Conversation
•“Informational interview”, but…
•Focus on curiosity, not outcome
•No expectation of a referral
•Ask ”specific knowledge” questions
•What was your day to day like?
•How were your motivations and expectations?
•Organization structure, management style

43.
Prototype Conversation: Tools
LinkedIn Hunter.io Medium

44.
What’s something you’ve
been curious about? How
could you learn more or
prototype it?

45.
Reflect

46.
Fulfillment
Daily Energy/
Engagement Balance
Big Picture
Congruence

47.
Daily Energy/Engagement
•Engagement: Ease of attention
•Energy: Feeling afterwards

48.
Good Time
Journal

49.
Big Picture Congruence

50.
Big Picture Congruence

51.
Summary
•You’ve learned about:
•Design thinking
•Gravity problems
•Dysfunctional beliefs
•Learn, Do, Reflect
•Prototyping conversation
•Reflection Tools
•And more!

52.
Nuance: Priorities

53.
Nuance: Priorities
Money
Life

54.
Reflect Do
Learn
Be
Nuance: Cadence

55.
Nuance: Judging Your Thoughts

56.
Why care about all this?

57.
Minimize Regret
•Own your choices
•Be confident in your decision making process
•No “best” choice – only better for you
•Prevent life FOMO
•Know yourself

58.
References/Resources
•Design Your Life book
•Dave Evans/Bill Burnette Youtube lectures
•What Color is Your Parachute
•Wait But Why – How to Pick a Career
•ITD institute at UT Austin (ITD 101, 301D)
•The Mom Test (asking better questions)
•ECAC Career Counseling
•Personal Therapy (CMHC)