Agile product development: how to turn innovation into practical urban solutions

Author: Elo Gaver

Research-based innovation creates real value only when it responds to actual needs. In a recent training led by Olga Luštšik from Digiwise, participants explored how the Scrum methodology can support practical product development and help teams better understand the needs of their users.

The session combined theory with hands-on exercises. Teams worked with prototyping tools and practical methods for defining customer needs, helping them move from ideas toward clearer, more testable solutions. This is especially important in international pilot projects, where each city and community may face different challenges.

The training supported five ongoing international pilot projects taking place in cities across Europe, including Estonia, Finland, Belgium, Czech Republic, Latvia, Ireland and Croatia. By using agile methods, project teams can develop solutions that are not only innovative, but also relevant, user-centred and better suited to real urban environments.