👤 This article is for Hub Admins or Development Program Managers/Admins.
When designing a mentorship program, it can be confusing when participants cannot be successfully matched even with well structured rules. This article will provide a breakdown of the most likely reasons and in-depth troubleshooting solutions.
Navigate to your Development Program
Login to your 10KC Hub
In the left navigation menu of your Hub, go to Development Programs > Manage Programs
Don't see this option? You may not have the proper permissions
Click on the Draft tab (if your program is unpublished) or the Live tab (if your program is published) to locate your program
Select the program
1️⃣ Member-Level Match Exclusions
Participants have the ability to set up exclusions on their profiles to avoid being matched with specific individuals, departments, or groups across the organization. The more segments or member profile roles a participant has excluded themselves from, the more challenging it becomes to find them a suitable match.
Troubleshooting:
Thoroughly check the profiles of unmatched confirmed participants for any exclusions:
Navigate to Members -> Manage Members in the hub.
Search for the member's name and click on the applicable row.
Review their match exclusions. Hit Edit if you'd like to modify them.
Temporary Overrides: If necessary, temporarily override exclusions to facilitate the matching process. We recommend you discuss this with the participant beforehand to explain the rationale.
Educate Participants: Provide clear guidance to participants on configuring match preferences when creating or updating their profiles. Explain the potential impact of overly restrictive exclusions on their mentorship experience.
2️⃣ Repeat Matching Restrictions
If your program has repeat matching disabled, individuals in long-standing communities may have participated in numerous programs or introduction cycles. This can exhaust their pool of potential matches over time.
Troubleshooting:
Enable Repeat Matching: Consider enabling repeat matching where it aligns with your program goals. Explain the benefits of potential rematches (e.g., building upon previous relationships, exploring different mentorship focuses).
Recruit New Participants: Actively recruit new participants for your subsequent mentorship programs to increase the size of the matching pool and provide fresh options.
Offer Alternative Formats: For participants with limited matching options, offer alternative mentorship formats (e.g., group mentoring, peer mentoring, Office Hours).
3️⃣ Compounded Segmenting Rules
Excessively restrictive segmenting rules (based on language, time zone, job title, skills, etc.) can significantly reduce the number of viable matches. This is especially true for outlier participants with unique characteristics.
Troubleshooting:
Simplify Rules: Conduct a comprehensive review of your segmenting rules and simplify them where feasible.
Prioritize Core Criteria: Prioritize core matching criteria that align with the program's fundamental objectives.
Tailor for Outliers: For outlier participants, consider broadening matching criteria or temporarily creating a specialized program tailored to their specific needs.
4️⃣ Conflicting Priorities
Prioritizing matches for specific mentor-mentee pairings can limit mentor availability for other groups, unintentionally creating exclusions.
Troubleshooting:
Assess Program Goals: Carefully assess your program goals and matching priorities. Ensure they align with the overall needs of the participant pool.
Balance Priorities: Explore ways to balance priorities. Consider rotating specialized mentorship programs or providing alternative matching options for participants outside of prioritized segments.
5️⃣ Missing or Incomplete Profile Data
Blank segment values in participant profiles, especially required ones, create unavoidable roadblocks for the matching algorithm.
Troubleshooting:
Prompt for Completion: Check participant profiles for missing data and actively encourage them to complete them thoroughly.
Verify Data Feeds: Ensure any programmed updates from your member data files are functioning correctly and adjust where necessary.
Highlight Benefits: If possible, design your system or communication to highlight the benefits of a fully completed profile (e.g., more personalized and successful matches).
⭐ Additional Tips:
Collaborate on Configuration: Involve your team or other key stakeholders during program configuration to ensure rules accurately reflect program goals and participant needs.
Deep Dive Analysis: If the reasons for a participant's unmatchable status remain unclear, conduct a deep dive into their profile and all relevant program configurations.
Monitor Success Rates: Regularly review your match success rates to identify potential problem areas and continuously optimize your matching process over tim