The Decoder Ring: Turning 16 Microsoft Guidebooks Into One Clear Partner Path

AI has changed what it means to sell a device.

When computers can support scenarios that customers aren’t familiar with, the challenge becomes helping partners have a new kind of sales conversation.

The Situation

Copilot+ PC can run local, hybrid, or cloud AI workloads, which means partners must shift from the traditional device-refresh cycle to a more trusted-advisor role. The new approach requires helping enterprise customers envision new AI scenarios they haven’t considered yet.

Microsoft had built a Windows AI Envisioning Workshop program to support the new conversation. It had sound methodology and substantive supporting materials. But 16 guidebooks left partners unsure where to start, how the pieces connected, and how to run an unfamiliar, customizable type of workshop.

Mix Consulting Group was brought in to build the path through it all, and I helped make sure that path was clear.

The Solution

The Mix team set out to create a “decoder ring.” This structured guide made the existing program legible, gave partners a clear sequence to follow, and translated complex AI and hybrid technology concepts into language they could use in customer conversations.

We started with a detailed outline and presented it to the client along with gaps we'd identified where the source materials alone weren't enough. That conversation led to a working session with a Microsoft expert, whose deep knowledge hadn't been fully captured anywhere. Getting it on record, and then shaping it into structured guidance was the core of the work.

My Role

I joined the project as the primary narrative strategist and content developer, working alongside the Mix team and drawing from recorded subject matter expert sessions, Microsoft source materials, and ongoing client guidance.

My contributions:

Narrative structure and slide content for the Partner Execution Guide. This comprehensive PowerPoint-based guide covers the full workshop motion, from the Customer Roundtable through Windows AI Envisioning workshops and beyond. Each section is sequenced to build partner confidence.

Foundational video script for an animated context-setting video that introduces partners to the program at a high level, then dives into detail. The script provided the narrative foundation that the final version, produced by HandCrank Films, is built on.

Project-wide terminology reference. I created a living document to govern naming conventions, technology definitions, and messaging guardrails across deliverables. In a program where precise language matters and we were working quickly, this document kept everyone aligned.

The Outcome

The client described the finished work as “phenomenal.”

We gave the field a simple, repeatable way to run the Envisioning Workshop, from the first listening session with a customer through the full AI envisioning experience. Partners who had been uncertain where to start now had a clear path from first conversation to close.

Why This Kind of Work Matters

Good content structure works because it respects the reader's time and intelligence. Lead with what they need to know. Support it with what they need to understand. Give them the detail only when they're ready for it.

That's not just writing. It's the work that happens before writing and that continues throughout, to ensure the structure holds from the first slide to the last.