The transition to higher education presents challenges for incoming students. In a demanding academic environment, autonomy emphasizes fostering collaboration within the student community. This approach enhances interaction and integrates experienced students’ knowledge to support peers, aiming to improve academic performance. The study is centered on developing software prototypes for a digital platform to facilitate the intermediation of contacts among students, primarily for scheduling tutoring services. An Action Research strategy was employed, using focus group techniques to actively involve participants in the project. This method, supported by Design Thinking, utilized iterative phases that generated valuable insights, leading to the creation of several prototypes tailored to the real needs of users. This iterative process not only highlights the significance of each phase but also explores how they collectively enhance product software development, focusing on ideating and refining concepts based on the perspective of future users. The testing of these prototypes met user expectations, demonstrating the effectiveness of the Design Thinking approach. This contributed to satisfying user needs and promoting collaboration through interaction with the focus group. Moreover, adopting the Kanban project management method allowed for practical and efficient workflow management. Consequently, this article not only promotes methodologies that facilitate the ideation of a digital product designed to address a real-world need but also underscores how project management can be an integral ally in development, ensuring effective integration.