Design Factory Task Forces are agile teams of working students who collaborate with industry partners on applied R&D projects at the research campus ARENA2036. The format combines a professional innovation service for industry with a hands-on learning experience for students. Projects are run in an agile setup based on Scrum principles and are professionally coached by the Design Factory Stuttgart. Industry partners are involved as product owners and work closely with the teams throughout the project. This structure enables reliable project execution, meaningful results for partners, and the development of future-ready skills for students.
As an industry partner, you engage with a fully supported innovation service powered by agile student teams. The Design Factory Stuttgart takes responsibility for the entire setup and operational execution — from scouting and assembling suitable working-student teams to project management, Scrum coaching, and process facilitation.
Student teams work in a structured, transparent framework and are guided throughout the project to ensure focus, efficiency, and continuous progress. This allows industry partners to concentrate on the content and strategic direction ofthe challenge.
Partners act as the central professional interface, contributing domain expertise, setting priorities, and providing regular feedback as product owners. Through this collaboration, projects remain closely aligned with real business needswhile benefiting from fresh perspectives and fast iteration.
Students gain practical experience in agile project work and apply the Scrum framework in a real-world, industry-driven context. They strengthen their collaboration, problem-solving, and communication skills while learning to work professionally with external stakeholders.
Industry partners gain hands-on insights into agile ways of working and benefit from interdisciplinary perspectives and structured, iterative development. For both sides, the format fosters a shared understanding of agility, continuous improvement, and effective collaboration in complex innovation environments.
