Bridging academia and industry: Aalto University students collaborate with Heeros to enhance PSA resourcing function

Real-world learning through Digital Service Design Project course

At Heeros, innovation and collaboration are at the heart of everything we do. That’s why we were excited to partner with Aalto University’s Digital Service Design Project course, a unique program that connects students with real companies to tackle real-world design challenges.

This year, a group of talented Aalto students worked on enhancing the resourcing feature of the Heeros PSA (Professional Services Automation) platform. Their journey, guided by Aalto lecturer Antti Salovaara, was an enriching learning experience that brought fresh perspectives to the table. 

How the course works 

The Digital Service Design Project course is a key part of Aalto University’s design and media bachelor’s program. It provides students with hands-on experience in service design, digital prototyping, and user-centered development. Each year, companies like Heeros present a real-world challenge for students to solve, helping them bridge the gap between theoretical knowledge and practical application. 

This year’s course had 48 students divided into 12 teams, working with six business partners. The challenge for the Heeros team? To improve the resourcing functionality within Heeros PSA, ensuring that project-based businesses can manage their teams and schedules more efficiently.

Student insights: A transformative experience 

For students like Matylda Rakowska from Poland and Alex Le from Vietnam, working with Heeros was their first deep dive into the Finnish business world. Both saw the project as an opportunity to apply their skills in a professional setting while learning from real user interactions. 

“It’s one thing to study service design in theory, but applying it in a real company context made a huge difference,” Matylda shared. “I realized that service design is way more than just digital systems, it is about interacting with people and delving into the users’ experiences.” 

Alex found the hands-on nature of the project particularly enlightening. “This was my first experience working directly with a Finnish company. It helped me understand how businesses operate, interact with clients, and address user pain points in a structured way,” he explained. 

Understanding real user needs 

A key part of the project was interviewing Heeros’ customers. While accessing end users for research was sometimes challenging, the insights gained were invaluable. Alex emphasized how these real-world interactions made all the difference: “Unlike hypothetical case studies, we worked with real users facing actual challenges. Their feedback guided our design process and made our solutions more practical.” 

Matylda echoed this sentiment, stressing the importance of research and observation in service design. “You need to talk to people and observe them in their work environment to understand what truly needs to be improved,” she said.

The role of communication in a successful project 

One of the biggest lessons learned was the importance of clear and continuous communication. Throughout the project, Heeros provided regular feedback, helping students align their work with the company’s expectations. 

“The key to success was maintaining consistent communication and closely managing the tasks,” Matylda noted. 

Alex also highlighted the value of direct feedback from the company: “Their input gave us a better understanding of user pain points and business goals, allowing us to refine our approach and create meaningful solutions.” 

Cultural perspectives and career aspirations 

Beyond technical skills, the project also provided insights into Finnish work culture. Alex, originally from Vietnam, found the experience eye-opening. “Finnish companies emphasize work-life balance and open communication, which is quite different from the long hours and hierarchical structures I’m used to,” he reflected. 

For both students, the project reinforced their career aspirations in service design and UX/UI development. “This course was pivotal in shaping my career direction,” Alex said, emphasizing how the experience helped him transition from theoretical learning to real-world problem-solving. 

Advice for future participants 

Based on their experiences, Matylda and Alex shared some valuable advice for both students and companies looking to engage in similar collaborations. 

• Stay proactive in communication. 
• Take time to deeply understand the company’s goals and user pain points before jumping into solutions. 
• Embrace feedback and be ready to adapt. 

• Encourage face-to-face interaction - visiting the office or meeting employees directly provides invaluable context. 
• Keep communication transparent and frequent to help students stay aligned with business needs. 

A win-win collaboration 

For Heeros, working with Aalto students was an exciting and productive collaboration. Their fresh perspectives and innovative approach brought valuable insights into PSA resourcing, helping refine ideas that could benefit our customers in the future.

For the students, the project was an immensely rewarding learning experience - one that not only strengthened their technical and research skills but also deepened their understanding of real-world business challenges. By bridging academia with industry, programs like the Digital Service Design Project help shape the next generation of service designers, UX professionals, and innovators. 

We look forward to future collaborations that continue to drive innovation and learning. If you're interested in learning more about Heeros PSA and its resourcing capabilities, check out our solution here.