Information Systems and Transformation Management

Our Mission

Information Technology is transforming vast areas of our daily lives. New technologies are fundamentally changing the way organizations work. Research over the last decades has shown: on the journey of digital transformation, "technology itself is only part of the complex puzzle that must be solved for organizations to remain competitive in a digital world" (Vial, 2019).

In our group, we explore the interplay of digital technologies and transformation, keeping a holistic view of organizations, ranging from processes to business models and management styles. Here, we take a strong information systems perspective focusing on the socio-technical interplay of humans and technology. Through practice-oriented research, we aim to identify, develop, and generate direct benefits for society, organizations, and individuals. Overarching, we examine questions on three (mutually interacting) levels:

  • Guide the organization: How can digital transformation be managed to leverage technologies for innovation and competitive advantage?
  • Guide the process: How can automation and analytics technology be deployed to enhance and optimize business processes?
  • Guide the technology: How can (lightweight) technology be leveraged to optimize value for the organization?

Led by Ralf Plattfaut, we are an interdisciplinary team of information systems, management, and behavioral scientists committed to pushing the boundaries of academic research, teaching, and business collaboration.

 

Latest News of the Chair

 Fri, 12. Jun 2026

DESRIST 2026 in Münster: Two Papers Presented by Our Team

The teams of the University of Duisburg-Essen and University of Applied Sciences Südwestfalen at DESRIST 2026
From 8 to 10 June 2026, the 21st International Conference on Design Science Research in Information Systems and Technology (DESRIST 2026) took place in Münster, chaired by Prof. Jan vom Brocke. Under the theme "Design for Better...
read on

 Tue, 19. May 2026

Gastvortrag von Yellow Automation/Guest Lecture of Yellow Automation

How Yellow Automation transforms processes at Commerzbank using modern robotic process automation technologies and software robots (called "CoBee")
read on

 Wed, 06. May 2026

Guest Lectures on Qualitative Research and AI Applications

We are pleased to invite you to the following guest lectures. The event will take place on 20 May 2026 from 10:00 to 12:00 in room R09 R01 H02. The event features two talks: The first talk is titled “Qualitative Methods: How...
read on

 Tue, 05. May 2026

Digital process transformation in the age of digital transformation

Einladung zum Gastvortrag von Yellow Automation // Invitation to the Guest Lecture of Yellow Automation
read on

 Mon, 04. May 2026

Event Announcement: KI trifft Personalprozesse (A Practical Look into AI in HR)

We are excited to announce an upcoming event at the Process Innovation and Automation Lab (PIA Lab) at the University of Duisburg-Essen. The event will focus on how Artificial Intelligence (AI) is transforming Human Resources (HR)...
read on

 Thu, 23. Apr 2026

New PIA Lab Platform Offers Free Digital Tools for Students

The Process Innovation and Automation Lab (PIA Lab) has launched a new platform that gives students free access to a range of digital tools and practice-oriented content. Hosted on a local university server, the platform includes...
read on