Bookey Consulting Inc. » Case Studies

Case Study : Microsoft Partners in Learning

admin — Mon, 18 Jan 2010 18:44:09 +0000

Though global in scope, Partners in Learning facilitates innovation and change on the local level—where few people knew about it. Linda Bookey, who had helped brand the program at its inception, was called in to help Partners in Learning get its message across to its wider audiences around the world.

The first step was to gather the stories. She oversaw the development of a universal template, helping local program managers create engaging case studies and their own marketing materials, showcasing ongoing, community-level results in materials that reflected the stature of Microsoft’s initiative. By giving the Partners in Learning program managers a voice in their regions, Linda helped them get noticed locally and magnify the program’s impact to worldwide education reform.

Through a host of communication vehicles, including the Web, multimedia, social media and conferences, Linda “rolled up” the local stories—and associated business messages—of Partners in Learning, helping them spread through villages around the world, as well as the halls of Microsoft. Within a year, academics, community leaders, business partners and top executives of Microsoft were discussing the effects of this groundbreaking program.

Case Study : The Ramp Group

admin — Mon, 18 Jan 2010 18:34:17 +0000

Built by some of the most seasoned tech minds in the industry, Ramp Group had a world-class client list and a portfolio of technical accomplishments few could touch. But most of their potential clients didn’t know that. They needed to gain wider industry credibility—to educate the marketplace about what they did and how they did it differently—in order to compete successfully with much bigger, better known firms.

In just two years, Deb Sorenson helped Ramp Group make a name for itself in media ranging from the Seattle Times to Forbes Magazine. The firm achieved year-after year placements on important business lists, gained full page stories and profiles, and its principals began to serve as print and online columnists. They strengthened important industry relations, achieving the prestigious Service Provider of the Year award by the WTIA and the Puget Sound Business Journal’s list of 40 Under 40. “Deb helped us craft and deliver a message to the media and industry that enhanced our firm’s credibility, which was immeasurably important when we were sitting across the table from a potential client,” Ken Deering, managing partner.

Case Study : Microsoft Expression Studio

admin — Mon, 18 Jan 2010 18:21:23 +0000

In a market of established competitors, Microsoft needed the creative depth and easy usability of its suite of Web design tools to engage new users right from the beginning. They turned to veteran educator Pat Philips to create teaching resources that go beyond “how to use” instruction and spark the imagination of educators and students.

Pat started by going to the experts. She developed a pilot curriculum with the help of a community of 12 hand-picked Web design, art, computer science, and application educators. Together they collaborated, experimented, and brainstormed new ideas—testing and refining what worked.

From those efforts, the team, led by Pat, created learning modules teachers can integrate as part of a class and curriculum for a full design process, challenging students to assume the role of professional Web designers, including interviewing clients, creating wireframes and storyboards, and building a compelling, usable Web sites.

Through partnerships with businesses and community organizations as diverse as NASA and MESA California, Pat also has overseen the bliink web design contest for students, helping students use Microsoft Expression Studio to build real-world job skills using cutting-edge technology. So far, the program has achieved in-person training with more than 300 teachers and curriculum adoption in more than 1,000 schools, with enthusiastic reviews.