Microsoft Mentorship Course
In 2021, I designed and developed a Peer Mentorship Program for Microsoft Learn Student Ambassadors. This program was specifically created for the benefit of 1,800 Student Ambassadors with the goal of pairing new Ambassadors with senior Ambassadors to lead events, evangelize Microsoft products and services, and achieve program milestones together. Within three months of the program's deployment, the Student Ambassador mentorship pairs had successfully attracted over 3,000 attendees through their mentorship events. In 2021, I created a PDF guide to assist Student Ambassadors with signing up for and successfully completing the program. In 2023, I sought to enhance the initial Peer Mentorship Guide by redesigning it into an interactive course to build on my skills in Instructional Design and improve Ambassador engagement in the program.
Problem
The Peer Mentorship Program is a new aspect of the Microsoft Learn Student Ambassador experience, but many Ambassadors lacked the understanding of how the program worked and the steps necessary to effectively mentor their peers.
Solution
This course was created to address this gap by providing tailored instruction on the Peer Mentorship Program, equipping Ambassadors with the knowledge, skills and strategies needed to successfully support their peers in achieving their goals and make the most of the program.
Design Thinking
As the program developer, I served as the SME, creating the action map and defining the project objective. I monitored progress through mentorship sign-up data and gathered feedback from student ambassadors to identify knowledge gaps and ensure success in the program.
After finalizing the action map, I developed a text-based storyboard to integrate key actions into a narrative, sharing it with Microsoft colleagues and student ambassadors for feedback. Based on their input, I revised the storyboard.
I then created visual mockups in Articulate Rise, experimenting with visual elements and establishing a cohesive style with custom colors aligned to the program's branding. I refined the final mockups for narrative clarity and added interactive features for a better user experience.
Additional Details
In retrospect, if given more time, I would have further developed the project by creating common scenarios for mentors and mentees to practice selecting appropriate communication methods, as each method has its own advantages and disadvantages depending on the situation.
Outcome
Upon completion of the project, it was shared with my professional network online. The response was overwhelmingly positive, with viewers praising its polished appearance, immersive design, and engaging dialogue.
This project provided me with a valuable opportunity to work with student ambassadors, collaborate with peers, incorporate feedback, and expand my knowledge of Articulate Rise. It has been a significant growth opportunity for me as an instructional designer and eLearning developer. Perhaps most importantly, it was a highly enjoyable and creatively fulfilling experience.
