Last week, students from Tallinn University of Technology presented and validated six AI-powered prototype solutions developed as part of the course ICY0034: Innovating Through Design Thinking and Challenge-Based Learning. The activity was connected to Work Package 2 (WP2) of the DITEC – Didactic Technologies for IT Education Erasmus+ Cooperation Partnership project.
The student prototypes were based on real-world problems presented in the DITEC WP2 case study book, “Engineering Real-World Competence: Case Studies for Modern IT Education.” The aim of the session was to test how students could transform industry-related educational challenges into practical AI-powered solutions. This was done through micro-courses developed within the DITEC consortium, based on selected case studies and supported by an AI-powered assistant – DITEC Design Thinking Micro-Course Assistant.
During the online validation session, six students presented their solutions to other students, company representatives, and university staff. In total, 17 participants evaluated the student solutions and provided feedback through the Usability Platform Test developed by EdTech Talents Horizon Europe project. Each team had three minutes to pitch and demonstrate its prototype, followed by questions and a short usability evaluation survey.
The validation activity provided students with valuable external feedback on the usability, relevance, and practical value of their solutions. It also served as an important step in testing the educational value of the DITEC WP2 case study approach in a real course environment.
Overview of Student Solutions
RegulaSys Co-Pilot
RegulaSys Co-Pilot is a local requirements and knowledge assistant that helps users search, interpret, and question their own documents using a locally running AI model. The solution supports document-based reasoning, citation-based answers, and traceability, while reducing the risk of unsupported AI-generated responses. The prototype was developed as an Electron desktop application with a React frontend and local backend services.
First Day Host
First Day Host is an AI-powered Custom GPT designed to support newcomers and newly employed staff during the onboarding process. It helps users understand organizational procedures, workplace practices, and colleague-related information, supporting a smoother transition into the organization.
FocusTrack AI
FocusTrack AI supports young professionals working in structured project environments. The assistant helps users organize tasks, manage deadlines, prioritize work, and reduce stress through personalized planning and progress tracking. It transforms tasks, priorities, and time boundaries into a realistic work plan and supports long-term productivity habits.
ClaritySphere
ClaritySphere helps product managers better understand customer feedback. It summarizes reviews, translates non-technical customer language into more actionable product insights, and supports the development of marketing strategies based on customer feedback and product descriptions.
CollabSphere
CollabSphere AI Assistant addresses communication challenges between product owners and developers in software development teams. It helps transform vague business ideas into structured user stories, acceptance criteria, technical specifications, and development tasks. The solution supports clearer requirements, better collaboration, and more efficient development workflows.
AI Requirement Translation Assistant
AI Requirement Translation Assistant is designed to improve communication between product owners and developers by transforming informal or incomplete requirements into structured, developer-ready outputs. It generates user stories, acceptance criteria, and technical tasks, helping teams reduce ambiguity and improve sprint planning.
Contribution to the DITEC Project
This validation session demonstrated how DITEC case studies can be integrated into university teaching and used as a basis for student-led innovation. By working with authentic industry-related challenges, students were able to apply design thinking, challenge-based learning, and AI prototyping in a practical educational setting.
The session also showed the value of involving external evaluators from academia and industry in the learning process. Their feedback helped students reflect on the strengths and limitations of their prototypes and identify opportunities for further development.
Overall, the activity represents a concrete example of how the DITEC project supports the development of modern IT education methodologies by connecting students, educators, and industry stakeholders around real-world problem solving.
