A simplified prototype for
exploring future career paths
60–90 minutes
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A large sheet or sheets of paper, minimum size A3, or a whiteboard
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Markers and pens in different colours
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Sticky notes
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Tape or adhesive putty
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Optional: a notebook.
What is this tool and what is its purpose and benefit?
The Career Mock‑Up is a tool for prototyping a future career by sketching simplified scenarios of possible directions. It helps to explore opportunities, industries, and learning pathways that align with personal skills and interests before any commitments are made. By visualising options, testing assumptions, comparing directions, and revealing skill gaps or unexpected possibilities, it opens up a broad landscape for exploration.
STEP 1
STEP 2
STEP 3
STEP 4
Create a picture of your current career and life situation. Use the outcomes from Phases 1–3 to do this, including the Persona tool. Use these to write a short summary of yourself that includes:
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Technical and soft skills, strengths and capacities.
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Interests, motivators, values, and personality traits.
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Constraints, such as, time, location, resources, health (if applicable) and energy.
Write these down on a sheet of paper or a whiteboard.
Define the career you want to have in the future. This should be a general career path rather than a specific job title. Describe it as, for example: 'I want to work with people.' 'I want to work in a growing industry' or 'I want a job with more autonomy'. Add this below your self‑description.
Generate different kinds of possible career options freely and without judgement. Brainstorm ideas for potential jobs, roles, industries, education and training pathways. Write these directly on the paper or a whiteboard, or you can write them on sticky notes first and then attach them to paper or a whiteboard.
Create career mock-ups (prototypes) of each promising career idea. For each idea, create a one-page mock-up including the following elements:
Steps for using this tool
STEP 5
STEP 6
STEP 7
Attach these sheets to the whiteboard, the large sheet of paper or the wall. It is important that you can compare them side by side.
Set the criteria for comparison and then compare and prioritise the mock-ups. For example: Which mock-ups are most aligned with your values, knowledge and skills? Which have the greatest growth potential? Which seem the most feasible? Which seem the most exciting? Where is further learning required? Arrange the mock-ups according to your preferences.
Test the top one to three options in different ways. For example:
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Do a small project.
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Take a short course.
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Volunteer.
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Discuss about the mock-up(s) with someone who can comment on it in relation to your career options. Ideally, talk to three different people. These could be a family member, someone who works in the field, a mentor, or a trainer, for example.
Based on your testing, write comments on each mock-up. Compare your findings with your preferences and views, then choose the mock-up that best represents your future career path.
Tips and hints for using this tool
References
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Hcareers. (n.d.). Career advice. https://www.hcareers.com/article/career-advice
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Interaction Design Foundation. (n.d.). Mockups: Definition, types, and how to create them.
https://www.interaction-design.org/literature/topics/mockups#how_to_create_mockups-11 -
TED. (2013). How to know your life purpose in 5 minutes | Adam Leipzig [Video]. YouTube.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ho9bXItwoa0 -
TEDx Talks. (2014). How to find and do work you love | Scott Dinsmore [Video]. YouTube.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2pFdQEL9dD0 -
Mockup Template Sites
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Freepik. (n.d.). Mockup templates. https://pl.freepik.com/psd/mockup
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Mockup Cloud. (n.d.). Mockup templates. https://www.mockupcloud.com/
