2025_EML Capstone Projects

17

Mentor Link Solutions: A Hybrid Mentorship and Knowledge Retention Model

required to be successful. We applied Kotter’s 8-Step Process during design by aligning team roles in our

contract with individual strengths, prioritizing milestone completions, and leveraging the team purpose

that we had built together throughout the entire program. Applying this principle to project

implementation would involve splitting up documentation, delegating tool selection, and encouraging

ownership over specific components of the mentorship structure.

In contrast, the ADKAR model provided a method for tracking participant readiness during

implementation, ensuring long-term sustainability (Hiatt, 2006). On our internal project team, this

resulted in informal feedback loops via Slack for check-ins and project realignment as needed, to ensure

sustained understanding and motivation toward accomplishing our goals.

While these models may not be direct project recommendations, the ideologies of these

frameworks will be thoroughly embedded in the program implementation. This will be apparent through

recommendations such as the use of surveys to evaluate organizational awareness, training sessions,

and incentive and recognition programs.

Monitoring and Execution

Internally, we tracked our progress over shared Google Documents and via Slack. This allowed

us to assign tasking and pivot rapidly to ensure deadlines are met. Visibility and accountability on a

shared project is critical, so Google features such as version control and real-time commenting were

extremely beneficial.

During implementation, similar tools would be used. The most straightforward tool that many

organizations use today is Microsoft Teams. Teams has numerous built-in applications that can be used

such as project dashboards, timeline trackers, and other Agile tools that can be used to evaluate

execution. During implementation and sustainment, before full cultural integration where it becomes a

habit, the consistency and transparency these tools provide are absolutely critical. The sustainment