Design Thinking

Empathy Map and Problem Statement

Mentorship

I am 70 year old retired university professor. I am an author of several books - both fact and fiction relating to South African History. I am active in community service and serve on a number of committees. I have a keen interest in wildlife and botany. In my retirement I want to continue to make a valuable contribution to society.

Stakeholder

1. I worked during my school holidays to get practical life experience. 2. It is important to have a role model that can give advice. 3. Today there are a lack of apprenticeship opportunities. 4. To develop human capital it is important to respect the mentors role. 5. Mentorship - imparts day to day experience and work etiquette. 6. In South Africa the new government closed Technical Colleges, Nursing Colleges and Teacher Training Colleges, limiting tertiary education to universities. 7. Technical training imparts practical implementable skills in the short term, enabling trainees to make a contribution within a few weeks. 8. Universities are used as a transition cushion between school and work. 9. Many youngsters enter a work field without understanding what the job entails. 10. Too much government assistance leads to dependency and hinders self-sufficiency. 11. Give a youngster direction by sharing the wisdom of the elders.

Empathy Map 1.

Say

There is a lack of mentorship in career guidance and in sharing work experience. 2. Poor service delivery results from a lack of technical skills. 3. Apprenticeships and technical training have been significantly reduced. 4. Politics is interfering with appropriate skills transfer. 5. Affirmative action results in inexperienced people filling senior positions while experienced people are made redundant. 6. Structured mentorship is required to impart relevant knowledge and experience to improve standards.

1.

Empathy Map 2.

Think

1. Feeling of frustration that the available skills and knowledge of older people are not being recognised or utilised. 2. Feeling of dismay when inexperienced people are fast-tracked into senior positions. 3. Concern for the long term implications of reducing standards, that will make the country globally less- competitive. 4. Present trends are causing an increase in unemployment and desperation.

Empathy Map 3.

Feel

1. The dilemma of poor education and limited work opportunities is highlighted in the stakeholders books. 2. The stakeholder is proposing the introduction of mentorship programmes to facilitate appropriate skills and knowledge transfer.

Empathy Map 4.

Do

The stakeholder needs a way to enable the effective transfer of knowledge and experience to younger generations as they are lacking specific personal guidance to realise their full potential.

Problem Statement