Westminster students collaborate with alumni in real-world business challenges

The live projects are part of the University’s Discovering Consumer Insights module, which provides Business Management (Marketing) BA Honours students with the opportunity to solve real-world marketing problems. Engaging with two live briefs from real businesses, students gained hands-on experience and tackled authentic challenges faced by brands in the market. Through the experience, students developed skills in consumer behaviour analysis, research methodologies and strategic marketing decisions. 

For the first project the students worked to create a customer journey map presentation for the company The Dyás, a sustainable fashion business founded by Westminster alumna Nuria Revuelta. Students worked on highlighting touchpoints, pain points and actionable recommendations to improve the client's customer experience. 

The second project saw them produce a Consumer Insights Research Report for PawsApp, a pet care app focusing on dog-walking services, founded by Westminster alumna Piril Buran. Students worked on collecting primary research conducted through surveys and secondary research analysis, resulting in data-driven marketing recommendations to the client. 

By working with these real businesses, students gained vital employability skills and were able to showcase their ability to deliver professional and impactful insights. They also had the opportunity to interact with the businesses during a live brief, Q&A sessions and direct feedback, helping them understand the importance of integrating consumer insights into decision-making processes. 

Michal Lesinski, Business Management (Marketing) BA Honours student, said: "The work enabled me to gain practical marketing experience, allowing me to further develop my marketing skills in areas such as data collection and analysis, consumer behaviour, creating consumer journeys and writing a report with data-driven recommendations for clients. The marketing industry in the UK, especially in London, is known for its hyper-competitiveness, thus the experience and skills gained are vital, giving me a head-start in my career because I can include this work in my portfolio and CV, making me stand out from the other potential candidates."

Nuria said: "Being part of the Discovering Consumer Insights module has been a fantastic experience, offering valuable perspectives from the students and their interpretations of the brand."

Piril added: "Working with the students was a pleasure - they brought fresh perspectives and posed insightful questions that provided valuable ideas and new ways to approach our marketing challenges. It was a rewarding experience for us!"

Miguel Noite, Leader of the Discovering Consumer Insights module, said: “Working with The Dyás and PawsApp on both assessments this year has been an incredibly rewarding experience for our students. Collaborating with real businesses allowed students to apply their learning to real-world challenges, gaining hands-on experience in developing actionable insights and practical recommendations. These partnerships not only brought the module to life but also equipped students with essential skills in research, critical thinking and client communication, preparing them for the demands of their future careers in marketing.”

These projects directly contribute to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 8: Decent Work and Economic Growth. Since 2019, the University of Westminster has used the SDGs holistically to frame strategic decisions to help students and colleagues fulfil their potential and contribute to a more sustainable, equitable and healthier society. 

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