2025_EML Capstone Projects

15

Mentor Link Solutions: A Hybrid Mentorship and Knowledge Retention Model

organizations. Additionally, change management frames were utilized to ensure our hybrid solution can

be implemented with minimum disruption and maximum cultural alignment at any firm.

Risk Management Plan

During the planning of our hybrid mentorship and knowledge retention solution, we evaluated

several risks and their associated impacts on the internal project team and future implementation.

1. Schedule Conflicts and Capacity Limitations

Our project was completed in parallel with full-time professional and familial responsibilities,

planned vacations, job seeking, and family emergencies. We mitigated the possibility of conflicting

priorities and limited availability impacting delivery of our project by front-loading tasking, assigning

flexible roles, and prioritizing constant communication. This same flexibility and open communication

will be key for future implementation phases.

2. Scope Creep and Resource Overextension

Without setting clear boundaries for this project, given the seven-week timeframe, there was a

risk of expanding our mentorship program beyond what is feasible. To mitigate this risk, we set firm

milestones, iteratively developed our process, and stuck to a plan once the analysis phase was

completed and a solution was chosen. To combat this in the implementation phase, we are

recommending a pilot phase using predetermined KPIs before full integration into the organization.

3. Cultural Resistance to Mentorship and Documentation

Resistance to change is very common with mentorship programs. Individuals may fear losing

their jobs when giving up their niche knowledge, or may be overburdened. At a leadership level,

resistance may be due to cost or a misplaced trust in current or traditional processes. To mitigate this

risk, our hybrid model focuses on the personal and professional benefits of participation. The allure of a