BA

Due tonight, 11/15/2020/ 11:00 pm

Understanding Design Thinking/ Applying the Design Thinking Process –

Individual Assignment-Due Week 2

Overview and Rationale

In order to demonstrate proficiency with the content in this course we will complete a number of different assignments to validate

your learning – and allow you to implement relevant practices a real-world setting.

Course Learning Outcomes

• Apply design thinking to analyze customer needs to ensure the solution meets that need

• Engage journey mapping to understand the customer journey and its pain points in order to focus on the problem or

opportunity

• Implement data visualization techniques to unlock stakeholder expectations

• Invent potential solutions through the analysis provided by design thinking, journey mapping and data visualization

Techniques

Weeks 1 – 2 Learning Objectives:

• Integrate design thinking (micro and macro) processes into Business Analysis work

• Distinguish problem from solution spaces

• Create a “good” problem statement to guide effective solutioning

• Discover user needs and understanding through personal creation and needfinding

• Determine the Point of View for the solution

• Utilize design thinking tools for idea generation

• Apply tools to select promising solution options

• Create and test a low fidelity prototype against stakeholder needs

Essential Components

This individual assignment provides you the opportunity to apply design thinking to your career search.

For this assignment, you will work to create key design thinking deliverables – you are the customer and the focus is on your career journey. You may choose any aspect of that – examples include finding your post-MS in PJM job, landing a co-op or being hired for an internship.

Your Week 1-2 deliverables include:

• User Profile Canvas/ Persona (Pains, Gains, and Jobs-to-be-done) from your perspective.

• Submit a strong problem statement.

• Find a job posting:

o Complete an empathy map of that employer.

o Develop a persona of the ideal candidate for this job posting.

• Review your current Resume and conduct a SCAMPER analysis to change your resume to better meet the needs of this employer (Page 96 – The Design Thinking Playbook).

Job: https://www.linkedin.com/jobs/search/?currentJobId=2305565467&pivotType=jymbii

BA – Needs Assessment (Remember focus on the problem nor the solution)

User Profile Canvas/ Persona (analysis my current status as a job seeker, put as much as details)

1. Pains

2. Gains

3. Jobs-to-be-done

Problem statement (one page)

Empathy map of that employer (quantitative, try to define as much as their feeling or thoughts)

Develop a persona of the ideal candidate for this job posting (One page)

SCAMPER Analysis (answer the questions )

Substitute

What can be substituted?

What can be used in its place?

Who can be involved instead?

Which process could be used instead?

What other material could be used instead?

Combine

What can be combined?

What can be mixed?

How might certain parts be connected?

Which purposes could be combined?

Adapt

What other ideas are suggested by it?

Is there anything that is similar and can be applied to the existing problem?

Have there been similar situations in the past?

Modify

What modification could be introduced?

Can the meaning be changed?

How might the color or shape be changed?

What can be increased?

What can be reduced?

What could be modernized?

Can it be enlarged?

Can it be downsized?

Put to another use

For what other purposes could it be used in its present state?

For what purpose could it be used if it were modified?

Eliminate

What could be eliminated?

What are the things it would still work without?

Reverse

What other patterns would also work?

What modifications could be introduced?

What could be replaced?

What could be rearranged?

BA – Needs Assessment (Remember focus on the problem nor the solution)

User Profile Canvas/ Persona (analysis my current status as a job seeker, put as much as details)

1. Pains

2. Gains

3. Jobs-to-be-done

Problem statement (one page)

Empathy map of that employer (quantitative, try to define as much as their feeling or thoughts)

Develop a persona of the ideal candidate for this job posting (One page)

SCAMPER Analysis (answer the questions )

Substitute

What can be substituted?

What can be used in its place?

Who can be involved instead?

Which process could be used instead?

What other material could be used instead?

Combine

What can be combined?

What can be mixed?

How might certain parts be connected?

Which purposes could be combined?

Adapt

What other ideas are suggested by it?

Is there anything that is similar and can be applied to the existing problem?

Have there been similar situations in the past?

Modify

What modification could be introduced?

Can the meaning be changed?

How might the color or shape be changed?

What can be increased?

What can be reduced?

What could be modernized?

Can it be enlarged?

Can it be downsized?

Put to another use

For what other purposes could it be used in its present state?

For what purpose could it be used if it were modified?

Eliminate

What could be eliminated?

What are the things it would still work without?

Reverse

What other patterns would also work?

What modifications could be introduced?

What could be replaced?

What could be rearranged?

DesignThinking Package

User Profile (Pains, Gains, Jobs-to-be-done, Use Cases)

JOBS

1. The students need to register and get acquainted with NU Careers, since it’s through them that the students will find job offers.

2. Students need to create their curriculum and cover letters, and have their friends, family, or advisors help them with editing.

3. They also need to participate in the

Career Fair

s and events that the university hosts.

4. They need to reach out to their co-op advisor.

5. And they need to search for job openings every couple of days, since new offers might appear in NU Careers.

6. After being selected for an interview, the students must prepare for it, researching about the company, practicing how they present themselves, and how they approach the interviewers.

GAINS

1. The students at Northeastern want to have one or more professional experiences, while in college. They need these experiences to boost their curriculum, as well as their professional lives, so when they graduate college, they are better prepared to start their careers.

2. These professional experiences also give students a chance to learn networking skills, which are vital for their professional careers.

3. They also might need a recommendation letter in the future from a former employer.

4. Some students will also learn what it feels like to earn their paychecks, which can be an enriching experience and helps them mature into adults.

PAINS

1. Students applying for the first time may feel overwhelmed with the amount of work it takes to find a job, increasing their anxiety levels.

2. International students are already at a disadvantage because they don’t have a green card and might be subjected to fewer options than the American students.

3. There is a high level of bureaucracy involved in this process, which is demotivating for students.

4. Going through interviews also increases students’ anxiety. The only way to mitigate that is by doing practice interviews with friends, family, or their advisors.

5. For students with mental health issues, being in a new environment with new people is stressful, so they might need extra support from the university. 

USE CASE

The use case begins when a student (undergrad or grad) decides to apply for a co-op, or internship, part-time or full-time job. The student is motivated to use the university’s resources, therefore, NU Careers, where they register their curriculum and create a profile with job preferences and interests. They can, then, apply for jobs that are available in the NU Careers offer postings. Northeastern University has co-op advisors available to help students through this process, and it is usually the resource that the students turn to, although sometimes the demand for meetings cannot be met, and students are left to fend for themselves. 

In this use case, the product is NU Careers, the users are the students (undergrad or grad), the influencers are the advisors and the university, and the user obtains information through the NU Careers virtual access, or Northeastern’s website. Moreover, we consider for this case that the user and the customer are the same people (NU students). 

Empathy Map

Discovery Interview Questions

For Students

1. Have you ever tried to make a connection with the alumni? Why?

2. Which aspect of the recruiting process, in your opinion, makes you unclear or needs to improve?

3. What kinds of resources or information that you are seeking from school?

4. What is the biggest challenge when hunting jobs?

5. Did you ever use the university career resources? How often?

For

Advisor

6. What makes students so hard to find a job?

7. What career resources you think are the most efficient for the student?

8. Which aspect of the recruiting process makes students the most commonly overlooked problem?

9. What is the Top 3 common questions you received from the students regarding finding a job?

User needs through Needfinding

1. Students need a platform that integrates all resources and information for their career development.

2. Alumni need a platform to share the lesson learned based on their own experiences to help the current students and make connections.

3. Advisors need a platform that standardized the guidance process to assist and answer the students’ questions.

4. Companies need a platform to find and hire the college talent students that meets their needs.

5. Northeastern University needs a platform that brings the alumni back to build a strong network to enhance the school reputation and student competitiveness.

Point of View (POV) with explanation of each POV

As a current student, I would like to be engaged more with these companies and industry professionals but due to the COVID I cannot get access to them face to face. And as for a company, we would like to seek more candidates for our positions, but due to COVID, less people would come here to find a job. HMW: how might we develop the students’ networking engagement with industry professionals? 

As Northeastern University, we would like to provide more current information and resources to our students, but we lack connection with the current employment market. And as for a current student, I know little about the current employment market, thus I’m afraid I’m not prepared enough for the job interview. HMW: how might we enhance Northeastern’s ties to the current employment market?

As a current student, I don’t know anything about what I will face in the future career. HMW: how might we help the students to build knowledge of the career process?

As Northeastern University, we need more alumni to participate in this project and share their experience with current students. And as an alumnus, I’d like to share my experience with these students but that will take me lots of time. HMW: how might we encourage alumni to share more information/experience about their professional career?

As an advisor, I would do my best to help my students plan their career, but how could we prevent misguidance or wasting their efforts when they pursue their dream career? HMW: how might we establish the guidance criteria for advisors to help students plan their occupation career?

As a current student, we’d love to work in our dream industry, but I wonder how I could join this industry even if I’ve done lots of research about it. HMW: how might we align the resources to the students in the industry they are looking for?

As a current student who’s looking for a position, I wonder how I could deal with the challenges of this work. HMW: how might we facilitate students’ experience while searching for co-ops, internships, part-time and full-time jobs?

There are many students looking for jobs annually in Northeastern University, however, the university now lacks connections with companies/professionals that could provide them opportunities or suggestions. HMW: how might we attract more companies/industry professionals to participate in this project?

As a current student, I usually forget to check my email daily or keep track of the news about the career fair since I think it takes time to do so. HMW: how might we keep the student notified regarding the job and career fairs?

Idea Poster

Prototype method and justification

Low-fi prototype:

The goal of low fidelity wireframing is to lay the basic structure of the website based on the customer’s vision. In the low-fidelity wireframe, we start drawing by picking up pen and paper, so it is much easier to change anything during the design phase. That is to say, if you don’t like any aspect of the design, you can throw away the paper and start drawing again. These low-fidelity frameworks may sound time-consuming, but they can save a lot of time and money because it usually takes a long time to confirm the subtle details during the website development phase, which can greatly reduce the time and money costs of changes.

Wireframes of the virtual platform may present the functions that help current students gather information from different wireframes about their career such as current employment market, industries, essential skills for certain positions, etc. as well as possible job opportunities for them. Also, there are wireframes serving as forums where current students may discuss with any other people in the system, a career center where they may get assistance from their advisors or career counselors, or virtual meeting rooms for related seminars or lectures. 

Say & Do?

See?

Hear?

Think & Feel?

Anxiety

Frustrated

We will move on to other candidate.

Stressful

Your application is currently under review.

Some of your friends or classmates have received

the offer.

Am I match the employers’ requirement?

Where should I started from?

Who should I get the advice?

What is your expected compensation?

Are you a citizen or allow to work in the

United States?

How to prepare the interview questions?

Qualifications

Job Responsibilities

Employment Type

The Email from the recruiters.

Career Fair

Career Websites(NUWork, LinkedIn, Monster,

Indeed, etc.)

Interview Questions.

Have you find a job yet?

Company Websites

I am not going to find my dream job.

Modifying the Resume and Cover letter.

Current Enrolled Students

Networking with the alumni or industry professional.

Get the assistance from the advisor.

How to make a connection within the industry?

Say & Do?
See?
Hear?

Think & Feel?

Anxiety
Frustrated
We will move on to other candidate.
Stressful
Your application is currently under review.
Some of your friends or classmates have received
the offer.
Am I match the employers’ requirement?
Where should I started from?
Who should I get the advice?
What is your expected compensation?
Are you a citizen or allow to work in the
United States?
How to prepare the interview questions?
Qualifications
Job Responsibilities
Employment Type
The Email from the recruiters.
Career Fair
Career Websites(NUWork, LinkedIn, Monster,
Indeed, etc.)
Interview Questions.
Have you find a job yet?
Company Websites
I am not going to find my dream job.
Modifying the Resume and Cover letter.
Current Enrolled Students
Networking with the alumni or industry professional.
Get the assistance from the advisor.
How to make a connection within the industry?

Say & Do?

See?Hear?

Think & Feel?

Advisor

How to enhance the engagement among the student and alumni?

How to increase the participation rate of career fair or event?

What is the most efficiency approach to assist the student to improve hiring potential?

How to increase the reputation of Northeastern University?

Can you help me to modify my resume?

Where can I get my transcript?

What is the following process if students find

an internship or co-op opportunity?

Where can I find the school resources? And how

to use it efficiently?

How to make a connection with the

alumni or industry professional?

Career Fair.

University Career Websites(NUWork)

Job opportunities.

Students’ Profile.

The survey of students’ Career Action Plan.

University career resources and services.

Connect with university recruiters.

Creating career fairs and events.

Notify the up to date information to the students.

Assisting students to deal with their visa issues.

Say & Do?
See?
Hear?
Think & Feel?
Advisor
How to enhance the engagement among the student and alumni?
How to increase the participation rate of career fair or event?
What is the most efficiency approach to assist the student to improve hiring potential?
How to increase the reputation of Northeastern University?
Can you help me to modify my resume?
Where can I get my transcript?
What is the following process if students find
an internship or co-op opportunity?
Where can I find the school resources? And how
to use it efficiently?
How to make a connection with the
alumni or industry professional?
Career Fair.
University Career Websites(NUWork)
Job opportunities.
Students’ Profile.
The survey of students’ Career Action Plan.
University career resources and services.
Connect with university recruiters.
Creating career fairs and events.
Notify the up to date information to the students.
Assisting students to deal with their visa issues.