Requirements for utilizing student projects as validation environment for design methods and collecting research data

Student projects represent a middle ground between lab and industry studies, with both controlled conditions and realistic development scenarios. The problem is that there is no comprehensive list of requirements to develope specific guidelines for using student projects as a validation environment for design methods. Additionally, structuring and data collection in student projects are associated with challenges. This study employs a mixed-methods approach, including a systematic literature review and expert interviews, to identify key requirements for effective method validation and data collection in student projects. The resulting requirements list can serve as a basis for developing guidelines to optimize student project conditions, enhancing their effectiveness in method validation.