Last week, our course "Agile Development of Application Systems" at Martin Luther University Halle-Wittenberg ended successfully. The hybrid concept - online lectures paired with practical days - presented our Xperts Danny Hucke and Marcus Nerger with challenges from conception to implementation. The lectures were not only supposed to be merely theoretical, but also offer the students valuable insights into the daily work routine determined by Scrum. Interactive tools, feedback loops as well as a practical report from our Xperts prepared the students in the best possible way for the seminars on site.
Sebastian (Student Business Informatics, MLU):
„It was a super experience. From the beginning, the atmosphere was relaxed and easy-going. You also really noticed that both seminar leaders were interested in us being successful. They were open to questions and feedback - from both sides. Them setting an example with their agility helped us a lot. I think to really learn something like this, you have to have done it. We had the perfect basis for it.“
With the help of ChatGPT, the students developed their own software project according to Scrum. They took on the different Scrum roles and learned to internalise the framework. They worked on a learning tool for exam preparation.
Paul (Student Business Informatics, MLU):
„Compared to other seminars, there was much more practical relevance over these 6 weeks. Here I really felt that the whole thing was also anchored in the real business world and we also came into contact with state-of-the-art technologies. It was a completely new experience for me and I found the opportunity to slip into all Scrum roles particularly exciting.“
Sprints and meetings defined the work ethos and welded the group together. It was important to us for the students to get a feel for what it means to work in a truly agile way. In the process, our Xperts always had an open ear for everyone and also offered assistance.
Lars (Student Business Informatics, MLU):
„The fact that we were able to use the facilities here for ourselves made a huge difference and after a week it no longer felt like a university module. I enjoyed working on the project and also with the people. We pushed each other, wanted to deliver a good project and that was really fun, which is a big difference from other courses. The openness and relaxedness of the seminar leaders, that you could always come to them, also contributed a lot to the fact that you felt comfortable here.“
Our management was astonished with the final presentation which admittedly reminded them more of the pitch of a start-up than of a group of young students. In the process of the course, the students developed a fair amount of initiative and surprised even our Xperts with it. The group not only focused on the implementation of the core tasks, but also on design aspects and created their own logo for the application for example.
Johannes (Student Business Informatics, MLU):
„The support was great and the whole thing felt like a real software project. I'm really more than satisfied with the end result and we also tried to look a above and beyond the requirements. We encouraged each other and this also led to a great desire for the project and to putting in more work than was actually required.“
Oliver (Student Business Informatics, MLU):
„I really enjoyed the whole thing and would like to see more modules like this during my studies. It was also very advantageous that the course did not take place at the university, so you always had the feeling that you were really going to work.“
We are proud of the successful cooperation with the Martin Luther University Halle-Wittenberg and its committed students and are already looking forward to next year. For 2024, the Master's module has already been applied for as an official module of the Master's in Business Informatics at the University of Leipzig and will thus take place as a completely inter-university course.