Welcome to your resources page, here you can find the mandatory “Meeting Preparation” Form – to be completed before every meeting – as well as prompts to help you prepare.
The following are not mandatory questions, just prompts to spark ideas. Use them to prepare thoughtful conversations with your mentors.
1. Career Journeys & Pathways
- What led you into your current design field?
- Which internships, projects, or experiences were most impactful early in your career?
- How did you decide between different career opportunities?
- What do you wish you had done differently during school?
2. Design Process & Practice
- How do you approach the research phase of a design project?
- What tools, methods, or frameworks are most valuable in your work?
- Can you share an example of how you handled a design challenge or failure?
- How do you balance creativity with practicality/constraints?
3. Industry Insights
- What trends or changes are shaping your field of design right now?
- Which industries are most open to hiring industrial designers?
- How does collaboration with engineers, marketers, or other disciplines work in your role?
- Are there new technologies or materials students should be paying attention to?
4. Professional Development
- Which skills (technical, creative, or soft skills) are most valuable for success in your field?
- How do you continue learning and staying up to date in your career?
- What advice do you have for building a strong design portfolio?
- Are there professional organizations, conferences, or networks worth joining?
5. Workplace & Culture
- What does a “day in the life” look like for you?
- How do you manage deadlines, clients, or conflicting feedback?
- What makes for a healthy design team culture?
- How do you keep creativity alive in a professional setting?
6. Personal Reflection & Advice
- What’s the most rewarding project you’ve worked on, and why?
- What has been your biggest challenge, and how did you overcome it?
- What’s one piece of advice you’d give to a designer just starting out?
- How do you measure success in your career?