Operating Model

Weekly Calendar

The THiNK Fellowship Program follows a structured weekly operating model that combines independent project work, mentor engagement, technical reviews, and collaborative learning. The schedule is designed to provide regular opportunities for planning, feedback, and continuous improvement while allowing fellows sufficient time to develop their projects.

A typical fellowship week consists of:

Additional workshops, guest lectures, technical clinics, and networking sessions may be scheduled throughout the fellowship based on cohort needs.

The weekly calendar ensures that fellows maintain consistent momentum while receiving structured support throughout the project lifecycle.

Monday Stand-Ups

Monday Stand-Ups officially begin each fellowship week and serve as the primary sprint planning session.

The objectives of the stand-up are to:

• Review progress from the previous week.
• Discuss completed milestones.
• Identify technical or operational blockers.
• Set priorities for the current sprint.
• Align project activities with fellowship milestones.
• Facilitate peer learning and accountability.

Each fellow provides a concise progress update covering:

• Work completed during the previous week.
• Current project status.
• Challenges or blockers encountered.
• Planned activities for the week.
• Support required from mentors or the technical team.

Stand-ups are designed to be focused and collaborative, enabling early identification of risks while ensuring fellows remain aligned with project objectives.

Friday Technical Reviews

Friday Technical Reviews conclude the weekly sprint and provide an opportunity for fellows to demonstrate progress and receive structured feedback.

Technical review sessions typically include:

• Live demonstrations of new features or completed work.
• Technical architecture discussions.
• Code or implementation reviews.
• Testing and validation updates.
• Documentation review.
• Mentor feedback.
• Sprint retrospective.
• Planning recommendations for the following week.

The Technical Review Team and mentors evaluate project progress against agreed milestones and provide recommendations for improvement.

The objectives of the Friday review are to:

• Validate technical progress.
• Ensure project quality.
• Identify technical risks.
• Encourage peer learning.
• Maintain accountability.
• Prepare fellows for Demo Day.

These sessions also provide an opportunity for fellows to learn from one another through shared demonstrations and collaborative discussion.

Documentation Requirements

Comprehensive documentation is an essential component of the fellowship. Fellows are expected to maintain accurate, organized, and up-to-date documentation throughout the program.

Each project should include, where applicable:

• Project overview
• Problem statement
• User requirements
• System architecture
• Technical design
• API documentation
• Database design
• Installation and deployment guide
• User guide
• Testing reports
• Sprint reports
• Weekly progress updates
• Final completion report
• Demo presentation

Project source code should be maintained using version control, with clear commit messages and appropriate documentation.

Well-maintained documentation supports technical reviews, knowledge transfer, deployment, commercialization, and future maintenance of fellowship projects.

Attendance Policy

Active participation is a fundamental requirement of the fellowship.

Fellows are expected to attend:

• Orientation sessions
• Weekly Monday Stand-Ups
• Friday Technical Reviews
• Mentor meetings
• Technical workshops
• Demo Day
• Any additional mandatory fellowship activities

Attendance is recorded throughout the fellowship.

If a fellow is unable to attend a scheduled session, they should notify the Fellowship Coordinator and their mentor as early as possible, providing a valid reason for their absence.

Repeated unexplained absences may result in:

• Formal warning
• Additional mentor review
• Reduced eligibility for post-fellowship opportunities
• Removal from the fellowship in exceptional cases

Participants are expected to demonstrate professionalism by arriving on time, participating actively, and contributing positively during all fellowship activities.

Communication Guidelines

Effective communication promotes collaboration, transparency, and timely resolution of issues throughout the fellowship.

All participants are expected to:

• Communicate professionally and respectfully.
• Respond to official communications promptly.
• Notify mentors and coordinators of any challenges affecting project progress.
• Participate actively in discussions and meetings.
• Share relevant updates with the team.
• Respect confidentiality where required.
• Provide constructive and respectful feedback.

Official fellowship announcements will be communicated through designated communication platforms, while technical discussions should be conducted using the agreed collaboration tools.

Professional communication is expected both online and during in-person activities.

Progress Tracking

Project progress is monitored continuously throughout the fellowship to ensure that fellows remain on schedule and receive timely support.

Progress is assessed through:

• Weekly stand-up reports.
• Sprint milestone completion.
• Mentor meetings.
• Technical demonstrations.
• Documentation reviews.
• Technical validation sessions.
• Project management tools.
• Final deliverables.

Each fellow works with their mentor to establish measurable milestones at the beginning of the fellowship.

Progress is evaluated against:

• Planned deliverables.
• Technical quality.
• Documentation quality.
• Timeliness.
• Problem-solving ability.
• Collaboration.
• Readiness for deployment.

Regular progress tracking enables early identification of risks and allows mentors to provide targeted support when necessary.

Escalation Process

The fellowship encourages early identification and resolution of technical, operational, or interpersonal challenges.

Fellows should follow the escalation pathway below when issues arise:

Level 1 – Self-Resolution

The fellow first attempts to resolve the issue independently through research, testing, or consultation with peers.

Level 2 – Mentor Support

If the issue cannot be resolved independently, the fellow discusses it with their assigned mentor during scheduled meetings or through agreed communication channels.

The mentor provides technical guidance, recommendations, and support to resolve the issue.

Level 3 – Fellowship Coordinator

Operational, scheduling, administrative, or unresolved project issues should be escalated to the Fellowship Coordinator.

Examples include:

• Resource constraints
• Scheduling conflicts
• Communication challenges
• Attendance concerns
• Project scope issues
• Mentor availability

The Fellowship Coordinator works with the relevant stakeholders to resolve the matter promptly.

Level 4 – Program Lead

Strategic, policy, ethical, or exceptional issues that cannot be resolved through normal operational channels are referred to the Program Lead.

Examples include:

• Major project risks
• Academic or professional misconduct
• Code of Conduct violations
• Appeals regarding fellowship decisions
• Partnership or commercialization matters
• Exceptional requests affecting fellowship policy

The Program Lead reviews the issue and provides a final decision where required.

Escalation Principles

Throughout the escalation process, the fellowship is guided by the principles of:

• Timeliness – Issues should be raised as soon as they are identified.
• Transparency – All relevant information should be communicated honestly and accurately.
• Collaboration – Problems should be addressed constructively with the involvement of appropriate stakeholders.
• Respect – All participants should engage professionally and respectfully during issue resolution.
• Continuous Improvement – Lessons learned from escalated issues should inform improvements to future fellowship cohorts and operational processes.