MIKE Choong Wai Keng is a lecturer at The Design School at Taylor’s University. When asked about how students should apply their knowledge in forming solutions to an existing problem in society or in the industry, his answer is simple: empathy.
“Empathy is the most neglected aspect when designing solutions for society or industry, ” he says.
He adds that the School embraces ‘”design thinking”, whereby students are “trained to empathise with the target market or audience to discover the real insights that are often difficult to be explained or communicated.”
However, empathy and design thinking are usually not what comes to mind with regard to tertiary education. Many lecturers and students also do not make mastering soft skills a priority.
Students need to inculcate a growth mindset…
