Why This Stage Matters

Discovery is all about curiosity. Before jumping to solutions, pause to deeply understand how your student employment system really works for your students, supervisors, and overall institution.

This phase isn’t about fixing; it’s about listening and seeing with fresh eyes. Adopting a discovery mindset helps you uncover the experiences, challenges, and emotions that shape student employment at your institution.

Why Discovery Matters

Too often, institutions enact programs based on assumptions. Discovery challenges you to:

• Empathize with students and supervisors before defining “the problem”
• Notice patterns across departments and demographics
• Identify systemic barriers rather than surface-level frustrations

When done well, discovery ensures that your redesign is human-centered, accessible, and grounded in lived experience.