Project-Based Learning (PBL) is an instructional approach that involves working on a project designed to solve a complex, open-ended problem, mirroring real-world professional challenges. Additionally, PBL fosters essential professional skills such as teamwork, leadership, communication, conflict resolution, time and information management, creative thinking and decision-making. Among these, time management is particularly crucial, as it serves as a key predictor of academic and professional success.

At the Universitat Politècnica de València (Spain), PBL is implemented in an experimental course within the Chemical Engineering degree program, where students develop an industrial installation design project based on laboratory sessions. In the 2023/2024 academic year, the incorporation of Microsoft Planner has been introduced as an innovation to encourage its use in project planning. This application, available under the corporative license held by the Universitat Politècnica de València (UPV), facilitates the distribution of tasks, assignment of responsibilities, and establishment of deadlines. Its primary objective is to ensure effective organization in the execution of the design project.

This study analyzes the data collected following the tool’s introduction for two academic years 2023/2024 and 2024/2025 and discusses the feedback received regarding its effectiveness in improving time management and its influence on the final project evaluation. Evidences for discussion were collected both through the analysis of Planner using Copilot tool and through formal interviews for each group and from individual anonymous surveys to students that allowed to go deeper into the difficulties encountered, positive aspects of the use of this professional tool, as well as its usefulness and frequency of use. Results would help to design teaching-learning strategies in the subject in the next academic courses.

Keywords: Chemical engineering, Planner, time management, project.