Recently, I got the opportunity to become an Advisor for the Dicoding Asah Capstone Project program. It's an interesting role—not just being someone who answers questions, but actually being responsible for guiding two teams through their entire project journey.
When I first accepted the role, I thought it was just about having mentoring sessions. But reading through the playbook, I realized there's much more to it than that.
What Does an Advisor Actually Do?
As an Advisor, my main responsibility is to dedicate time sharing knowledge and expertise to help students accelerate their project work. But it goes deeper than just sessions—I'm also responsible for providing feedback, corrections, and recommendations to help them solve problems and reach their goals.
The program requires at least one mentoring session per team, but I'm allowed (and encouraged) to do more if the teams need it. I can also help through email, which becomes important for asynchronous guidance.
Communication is Key
One thing that stood out in the playbook: communication needs to be active and responsive. I can't just wait for teams to reach out—I'm expected to be proactive. If they don't contact me, I should reach out first.
There's also a 3-day response time requirement for emails. If I don't respond within that window, the program might reassign the team to another advisor. It sounds strict, but it makes sense—students are on a timeline, and delays can derail progress.
Preparation is Everything
Before the first session, I need to know:
- What the team is actually doing
- Names and roles of each team member
- The theme/use case they're working on
- Their team ID and project goals
I also need to familiarize myself with their working document (a progress tracker they'll share with me) and set up availability slots on the Dicoding Mentoring Platform.
The Mentoring Session Structure
Each session has a recommended flow:
- Introduction (5 min) - Clarify what the team wants to achieve in this session
- Discussion (30 min) - Deep dive into their challenges, ask questions, focus on solving one major problem
- Next Steps (10 min - Summarize what we covered, determine follow-up actions
The key is to be proactive, prepared, and focused. Don't waste time. Don't end a session without a clear action plan.
The "Soft Skills" of Mentoring
- The playbook emphasizes things I wouldn't have thought about otherwise:
- Be honest: If I can't help with something, I should say so. But if I see issues in their approach,
I should communicate my thoughts (though the final decision is theirs). - Stay engaged: Maintain eye contact with the camera, speak clearly, use their names, let everyone talk.
- Be professional: Dress appropriately, find a quiet space, use a headset, check your internet.
- Follow up: Every session must have action items sent via email afterward.
Why This Matters
Being an advisor isn't a passive role. It's about being committed, responsive, and genuinely invested in helping teams succeed. The program has built-in accountability (response times, feedback forms, team reassignment) because they take it seriously.
For me, it's an opportunity to see how students tackle real AI projects, understand their challenges, and hopefully share experience in a way that actually helps them move forward.
Let's see how it goes.