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the Wond'ry

the Wond'ry

This Guide is intended for Vanderbilt Students, Staff, and non-Mentor Faculty.

For Wond’ry Mentors, please see the Mentors Guide.

The Wond’ry Innovation Portal is a tool to help you access Wond’ry resources.  You can use the Innovation Portal to:

  • Schedule meetings (called “Sessions” in the Portal) with Wond’ry Mentors
  • Reserve Maker Stations in the Wond’ry Makerspaces (REQUIRED TO ACCESS MAKERSPACES DURING COVID-19)
  • Browse through previous projects and clients the Wond’ry has helped
  • Find a Library of digital resources related to innovation

Contents

Quick Start

The Wond’ry Innovation Portal is a connection platform that allows the VU community access to mentors, space reservation at the Wond’ry, a database of past Wond’ry projects, and resources related to innovation.

To start accessing the Innovation Portal:

  1. Open the The Wond’ry Innovation Portal webpage
  2. Click Sign In near the upper right of the screen
  3. Click VUNet Login and log in as normal using your VUNet ID
  4. That’s it! Your account is automatically created.

A short list of features:

  • Browse Mentors to connect with entrepreneurial experts who can give guidance for your own innovation projects
  • Reserve a Maker Station to make an appointment to use Wond’ry makerspaces [REQUIRED TO ACCESS WOND’RY MAKERSPACES DURING COVID]
  • Check Startups and Wond’ry Clients for a list of innovation projects the Wond’ry has been involved with
  • Use the Messageboard to find people to collaborate with on your innovative projects

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Portal Help

Detailed help menus are available inside the Innovation Portal.  Just look for the  Online Help button or the  blue Question Mark (?) button.

For issues with account access, send an email to thewondry@vanderbilt.edu to request assistance.

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Home Dashboard

Upon signing in, Innovation Portal Home Dashboard will look like this:

The Home Dashboard will list any announcements or notifications at the top, any pending Mentor Sessions, and any Wond’ry Programs you are a part of.  You may click the X button beside an announcement or notification to dismiss it.

Depending on settings you choose which are described in the Contact Info section, you can receive Dashboard notifications about pending meetings and messages to your personal email or SMS text.

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Main Menu

This is the Main Menu.  It allows navigation around the Innovation Portal.

  • The  Menu button hides and reveals the Main Menu (pictured here), allowing you more screen space if desired.
  • The  Chat button opens the chat frame, which you allows to chat with Teams you are a part of.  Teams are primarily used by people in Wond’ry Programs.  However, if you choose to have your own project listed on the Innovation Portal, you may also create a Team to go along with it.  If you are not in a Team, the Chat icon will not appear.
  • The  Inbox button shows messages received from other users as well as system messages.
  • Home returns you to the Home Dashboard.
  • Sessions lists meetings you have had or have currently scheduled with Mentors.  For upcoming sessions, you can input information you wish the Mentor to review before your session.  For sessions which have already occurred, you may review notes from the meetings.  For sessions which are scheduled in the future, you may reschedule or change details of them from this screen.
    • Please note, during the COVID-19 pandemic and while physical distancing and enhanced sanitation protocols are in place, all Mentor meetings must be conducted virtually. 
  • Programs lists Wond’ry courses you are involved with that are implemented through the Innovation Portal system.  You will be informed upon enrollment in a corresponding Wond’ry Program whether or not you should make use of this section.
  • My Content lists teams and projects with which you are involved.  If you are listed as a member of a Team, or if you make posts on the Messageboard, those items will be listed in My Content.  You can click links to those posts and edit them from this page.  Please note that details you add in this section are NOT private and will be listed in the various Resources sections, which can be viewed by anyone with Innovation Portal access.
  • Resources shows the landing page for the Resources section, which is similar to what is already available in the menu, such as Browse Mentors, Library, Startups, etc.  However, the landing page will also shows a section called “Resources you created” which shows which Content areas you have posts in.
  • Browse Mentors shows a searchable list of available Wond’ry Mentors–entrepreneurial experts across a wide variety of fields–along with biographical information about each Mentor.  Search by name, by the mentor’s area of expertise, or by other criteria.  You can schedule meetings with a mentor via the profile pages in this section.
  • Library contains a variety of innovation-related content for convenience.  If you have a particular document, file, or website link which you think would be helpful to have here, email thewondry@vanderbilt.edu and we can add it!
  • Messageboard is a space to make public posts for everyone to see.  You can also leave comments on posts.  Use this to announce news or post project details.  Mentors may also use this section, so it’s a great place to interact.
  • Reserve a Maker Station is the Wond’ry’s makerspace reservation system.  During the COVID-19 pandemic and while physical distancing and enhanced sanitation protocols are in place, anyone wishing to access the Wond’ry’s making and prototyping resources MUST reserve a time-slot in order to use ANY of the Wond’ry’s makerspaces.  Walk-in visitors to makerspaces are not permitted at this time.
  • Startups is the master list of projects created or worked on by students with which the Wond’ry has assisted or been involved with.  Check out how your own project looks to other people in this section, or check out all the cool innovation projects the Wond’ry has helped with!
  • Wond’ry Clients lists organizations and businesses with whom the Wond’ry has partnered on various projects, as well as details about those projects.
  • Settings shows the landing page for the Settings section, providing a short description of each section.  These sections (Security, Profile, Contact Info, Availability) can be selected individually from the menu.
  • Security allows you to change your email and password settings.
  • Profile allows you to enter biographical and contact information on yourself for others to see. Profiles are not publicly visible except to Mentors you create a Session with.
  • Contact Info allows you to connect the Innovation Portal to other platforms like Zoom or Skype, as well as allow you to set up text message notifications for Innovation Portal functions, such as reminders for when you have a Session with a Mentor.
  • Availability allows you to connect the Innovation Portal to an external calendar, like Google Calendar or Outlook, or Apple Calendar.  This can help automate scheduling of Sessions with Mentors by updating your calendar for you whenever you schedule a meeting in the Innovation Portal.
  • About links to the About landing page, providing links to the Privacy Policy, Terms and Conditions, and the Online Help section.
  • Mentors Apply Here links to the Wond’ry’s email address.  If you are a member of Vanderbilt faculty or staff and are interested in being a Mentor, send us a message!
  • Privacy links to the TrustedPeer Privacy Policy.  The Innovation Portal is powered by the TrustedPeer company.
  • Terms links to the TrustedPeer Terms and Conditions of Use.  The Innovation Portal is powered by the TrustedPeer company.
  • Contact Us allows you to contact Innovation Portal technical support.  This will contact TrustedPeer rather than the Wond’ry.  If you need to contact the Wond’ry, please email thewondry@vanderbilt.edu with any questions or concerns.

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Profile

You Profile is only visible to Mentors when you schedule a Session with them.  Otherwise, it is not visible to the public.

To edit your profile, choose Profile in the menu to edit and preview your profile. The Edit Profile page looks like this:

The green “Editing” notification in the upper right indicates you are in Edit mode.  To preview how your profile looks, click the the green Editing box.  When viewing the profile, the green Editing box will change to white and say “Edit Page”; click the box again to return to Edit mode.

All fields auto-save after editing, so there is no need to manually click a Save button.

Most fields in the Profile are self explanatory and can be filled out to your preference.  Certain fields, such as the “About” field, allow for rich text editing, including the ability to add hyperlinks.  Fields which are left blank will not appear when others view your Profile.

One Profile field to note is the “Skills and Expertise” field, which looks like this:

This field uses functions not enabled on the Wond’ry Innovation Portal, so please leave it blank.

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Contact Info

Choose Contact Info from the menu to change settings regarding how you receive communications.  If you do not enter any info in this section, you will be prompted to enter it before you can schedule a Session with a Mentor.

The Contact Info page looks like this:


SMS Text Notifications

You can set a mobile number for SMS Text Notifications in order to receive notices about scheduled mentorship sessions and Innovation Portal messages.  Text notifications include:

  • When you are sent a private message in the Innovation Portal from another user (student or Mentor)
  • Confirmation of scheduled Sessions
  • When there is a change in a scheduled Session
  • Timely reminders of Sessions
  • When a Mentor updates a Session Worksheet

 

Zoom Authorization

By setting up Zoom Authorization, the Innovation Portal and Zoom will automatically set up a Zoom call for your scheduled mentorship sessions.  Vanderbilt University provides all students, faculty, and staff with a Zoom Premium account via vanderbilt.zoom.us or you can make your own.

Both free and premium Zoom accounts work with the Wond’ry Innovation Portal.

Click here to be taken to the non-Vanderblit Zoom website.

Other Contact Info

Contact Settings allow you to set your Time Zone (Vanderbilt University is in the America/Chicago time zone).  You can also set a Phone Number and Skype ID.  If you do not set a Phone Number or Skype ID, you will be prompted to enter one when scheduling a Session with a Mentor.

Notices allows you to reset the system notices on the Home Dashboard page, in case you dismissed one prematurely.

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Availability

The Availability screen allows you to link exterior calendars like Google Calendar, Outlook Calendar, and iCloud to the Innovation Portal, to automate scheduling Sessions with Mentors.

The Availability screen will look like this:


Connecting an Exterior Calendar

On the Availability screen, click View Calendar.  From the Calendar screen, click the Click to Connect button and follow the prompts to connect your exterior calendar.

This will automate the creation of meeting reminders on your calendar whenever you have a Mentor Session., as well as any changes or rescheduling of Sessions.

Availability Calendar

If you meet with the same Mentor often, you may want to set times on your Availability Calendar so that the Mentor can suggest meeting times with you.

Click View Calendar in the Availability screen to set up your Availability Calendar, which looks like this:

To mark availability on the calendar, click inside the box of a date on the calendar to bring up the scheduling prompt:

Choose a time frame and set whether you want the availability slot to repeat.  If you choose repeat, you will be able to choose an end date for the repetition.

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Browsing Mentors

The Innovation Portal allows you to see the list of Wond’ry Mentors, as well as schedule Sessions (meetings) with them..  Mentors are experts in a variety of fields who can meet one-on-one with you to talk about your projects.

Click Browse Mentors in the main menu to see the Mentor List:

You can use the Search bar to search for Mentors either by name or by category.  You can also use menu on the left side to filter the Mentor list by various criteria.  Use Grid / Profile / Ask Me About options in the upper right to change how the list appears.

Clicking on a Mentor will bring up their Profile:

To schedule a Session with a Mentor, click the Contact button:

Selecting Quick Question will allow you to send a message on the Innovation Portal to the Mentor.

Selecting Schedule a Call will allow you to schedule a Session.

Scheduling a Session

After clicking Schedule a Call, the scheduling screen will appear:

Choose the length of Session you would like, either 30-minute, 60-minute, or Custom, then click Request Date and Time.  This will show the Availability the Mentor has set.  Alternatively, you can request a specific time even if the Mentor did not set themselves as available.

After selecting your date and time and clicking Continue, you will see the Confirmation screen:

Click Continue with Selection to complete the Session request and send a notification to the Mentor.

You will then be taken to the Pre-Call Questionnaire.  The Questionnaire is optional and may be completed later if desired.  See the Sessions section of this Guide below for more details.  Otherwise, you are done scheduling your Session!

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Sessions

Click Sessions  in the main menu to access information on upcoming meetings with Mentors, as well as review past meetings.  You may give Input on the Session Worksheet before and after a meeting–a handy place for personal notes and communication with the Mentor.  You can also provide Feedback to the Wond’ry about your Mentor meeting.

The Sessions screen looks like this:

  • A green checkmark icon  indicates the Session is done.
  • A blue Calendar icon  indicates the Session is scheduled.
  • A Submitted icon  indicates you have completed the Session Worksheet for a pending Session.

Click My Input to edit the Worksheet for upcoming meetings, allowing you to give your Mentor information on what you want to talk about.

Click My Feedback to enter any feedback for the Wond’ry about your interactions with your Mentor.  This information is not visible to the Mentor and is only seen by Wond’ry staff.

Click Input and Wrapup to finalize any notes for a session.  After you complete the Wrapup, you cannot edit the Worksheet for that particular Session anymore.

Click Details on past Sessions to see your completed Worksheet.

Rescheduling a Session from the Sessions List

To reschedule or cancel a session, click on the date and time of a pending Session to see the reschedule prompt.

The reschedule prompt looks like this:

You may complete the A section, B section, or C section, whichever is needed.  An update notification will be sent to everyone in the Session.  Click outside the prompt box, or on the X in the corner, to close the box.

Worksheet

The Session Worksheet shows details related to your meeting with a Mentor.  Use the Worksheet to provide your Mentor with any pertinent information before your meeting.  you can also The Worksheet looks like this:

You will see a link to the Mentor’s Profile in the upper left.

Like the on the Sessions screen, you can use the Session Details section here to reschedule, or to change how you want to meet (such as by phone or Zoom).  Any changes here will generate notification alerts to everyone involved with the Session.

The Pre-Call Questionnaire allows you to submit information to Mentors prior to the meeting.  This screen is the same as the one displayed automatically after first scheduling a Session.  You can even add files for the Mentor to review in the Attachments tab.  Changes are auto-saved, but if you wish to alert the Mentor of this you can click the Notify button. You can also add other people to the Session so that they have access to the Worksheet (Note: the person must have set up their Innovation Portal account before being added).

The Mentor can use the Clarification tab to ask questions about the session before and after the meeting.  The Clarification tab will also list session system updates, such as if the details or attachments have changed.

The Session tab provides a digital notepad for you personally to use; the notepad is not shown to the Mentor, so please feel free to use it how you wish.  This tab also has the session Wrap-up.  Wrap-up notes are visible to everyone in the Session.  Once the Notify All button is clicked, no changes may be made to the session Worksheet.

A completed wrap-up report looks like this:

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