This critical assignment focused on creating a strategic succession plan for a senior-level Instructional Designer III position within a higher education distance education department. In this assignment, I assumed the role of Director of Learning Design and Technology and identified high-potential internal candidates, analyzed their strengths and leadership readiness, and designed individualized professional development and mentoring plans to prepare them for future leadership responsibilities. I also outlined strategies for developing emerging talent, established clear metrics to measure succession readiness, and aligned the plan with institutional values of equity, innovation, and continuity. Overall, I completed a comprehensive, research-informed roadmap to ensure leadership sustainability and long-term instructional design excellence within the organization.

This critical assignment focused on developing an evidence-based Employee Retention Plan tailored to the field of Instructional Design and Educational Technology within higher education. In this assignment, I analyzed why retaining instructional designers and educational technologists is essential to institutional stability, innovation, and teaching quality, and I designed a comprehensive strategy to address retention challenges proactively. I completed this work by outlining key components such as conducting stay interviews to understand employee motivation, communicating professional and wellness supports effectively, proposing targeted Employee Resource Groups to foster belonging and leadership, and exploring cross-sector collaboration to drive innovation and long-term engagement. Overall, I demonstrated how intentional leadership, continuous feedback, professional development, and inclusive practices can transform retention from a reactive process into a sustainable, mission-aligned strategy for supporting human and social capital in higher education.