12 Weeks at Microsoft: From Evaluation Synthesis to Business Development Management

🎮 What Works, In What Context, Under What Circumstances — and Why

Reflections from a Summer at Xbox, by Nthanda Manduwi

Where Systems Meet Strategy

The most important question I carried into this internship was not “What can I deliver in 12 weeks?”
It was:
What works? In what context? Under what circumstances? And why?

This is the evaluative lens I’ve carried from years working in international development — from public policy in Malawi to program design with global institutions — and the strategic rigor I’m cultivating as a business development professional in tech.

At Xbox, I had the rare opportunity to observe, contribute to, and interrogate what scale looks like when inclusion is not just a principle but a product strategy. This wasn’t just an internship. It was an immersion — into systems, into people, into possibility.

Power, Patterns & Performance: Building Tools That See Creators

One of my core projects focused on helping the Developer Acceleration Program (DAP) better understand how titles — especially those from underrepresented developers — perform across Xbox platforms.

We built performance dashboards from the ground up: 92 developer titles, dozens of metrics, and a framework that could move beyond snapshots toward strategic visibility. What works? For whom? Where? When?

The answer wasn’t uniform. Some titles succeeded through high preorders. Others gained momentum post-launch through Game Pass. In emerging markets, engagement was often driven more by hours played than revenue. The value, I realized, was not just in surfacing the top performers — but in allowing for nuance in why they performed the way they did.

Lesson: In complex ecosystems, centralized insight doesn’t mean uniform success. Visibility only adds value when paired with contextual understanding.

Operational Excellence as a Strategic Enabler

Alongside data, I managed internal operational workflows: weekly meetings, templates, review processes, and documentation. It might sound simple. But this is where strategy meets rhythm.

By refining how the team aligned — and proposing automation workflows to reduce friction in title reviews — I learned that what enables innovation isn’t always a breakthrough idea. Sometimes, it’s a smoother process.

Lesson: Execution is equity. When workflows are thoughtful and repeatable, more voices can contribute. More creators can succeed.

Global Expansion: Not Just New Markets — New Models

Another core focus was global expansion. I co-authored a research synthesis exploring underserved regions — Africa, Southeast Asia, Latin America, and India. We didn’t just look at where Xbox could go — we asked what Xbox would need to become to serve those places well.

We mapped infrastructure readiness, developer density, and cultural context. We built a market entry scorecard. We interrogated structural barriers. But more importantly, we didn’t assume that scale alone was the answer.

Lesson: Expansion without localization is extraction. Emerging markets don’t just need access — they need partnership, relevance, and autonomy.

Learning at Scale: A Culture of Curiosity

Over the course of the internship, I initiated over 80 coffee chats, attended 20+ internal events, and engaged with leaders across disciplines — from product strategy to global communications.

In doing so, I began to understand what works inside Microsoft’s learning culture: intentionality, open calendars, and trust. People showed up not just to share what they do, but to explore what might be done better.

Lesson: Culture is the most scalable product any organization builds. And Microsoft’s culture — at its best — rewards curiosity and collaboration.

Inclusion is a Business Strategy, Not Just a Belief

The global expansion research wasn’t only about market opportunity — it was also about alignment with Microsoft’s broader D&I commitments.

Together with another MBA intern, I co-developed a framework to guide inclusive market entry. We embedded it into our reports not as an afterthought, but as a foundational logic: you cannot build global platforms without prioritizing who you’re building for.

Lesson: Inclusion doesn’t dilute scale — it defines it. And the creators we invest in today shape the platforms of tomorrow.

💡 What Worked (and Why): A Summary

What worked:

Centering creators through actionable data, not just anecdotes
Proposing automation not as replacement, but as enablement
Conducting research that combined stakeholder input, structural analysis, and strategic framing
Hosting peer-led communities that opened doors beyond formal assignments

In what context:

A global platform with decentralized decision-making
A summer window where experimentation was welcomed
A team open to cross-functional contribution and student leadership

Under what circumstances:

Clear trust from managers and stakeholders
A culture of proactive mentorship and structured independence
Interns empowered to own, question, and propose

Why it mattered:
Because even in one of the world’s largest companies, equity and innovation still depend on design.
And design depends on the questions you ask at the start.

On Pace, Growth, and Letting Go of Perfection

If I’m honest, I pushed hard from day one. I came in with goals, strategies, dashboards, frameworks. We built a lot in 12 weeks.

But around the midpoint, I began to feel stretched thin. I was pouring from an increasingly empty cup — and it showed. That’s when I began to shift. I slowed down. I let go of perfection. I made space for others to contribute.

And everything still got done. But better.

Lesson: Sustainable impact isn’t about doing it all. It’s about doing it well — with room to breathe, learn, and co-create.

What Comes Next

As I step into my second year of the MBA, I carry this chapter forward with intention. I’m continuing my work in innovation ecosystems, particularly through the Ntha Foundation, Kwathu Kollective, and the newly forming Q2 Corporation.

But I also carry questions Microsoft helped sharpen:

What is inclusion at scale?
What systems do we quietly replicate, and which do we intentionally reinvent?
What becomes possible when we design with — not for — the people we serve?

Twelve weeks is a short time. But systems thinkers know — meaningful impact is never just about time. It’s about clarity, context, and courage.

To my team at Xbox, to every peer and mentor who took a meeting, gave feedback, or created space — thank you. I leave this chapter not with certainty, but with momentum.

And that, to me, is what works.

With intention,
Ntha