Watty, Robert: Building agile product design competences in student projects

Abstract in Englisch:

The increasing complexity of technical solutions caused by constantly changing requirements and competitive situations, has led to the introduction of agile development processes in various domains in order to be able to react faster and more efficient to changes. This paper explores the integration of agile aspects into engineering education to prepare students for the corporate world. Two approaches, a single-stage and a two-stage approach, were implemented and evaluated in student projects at Technische Hochschule Ulm and Technische Universität Ilmenau. The findings reveal that both approaches effectively enhance students' competencies in agile product development. The observations highlight the value of iterative sprints, design thinking, peer learning, focused work, stakeholder involvement and the application of digital tools. Students exhibited increased confidence, independence, and creativity in their development projects. The integration of agile approaches in teaching methodologies proves beneficial in addressing the challenges posed by complex technical solutions and evolving requirements.