Ringvorlesung Digitale Transformation @HU

Open Lecture Series Digital Transformation

New input on digital transformation from experts from business practice, research institutions and universities every year

The lecture series is open to all interested parties who would like to participate online or on site (details below). The event is part of the international Master of Psychology at the Department of Psychology at Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin .

Winter term 2024/25 - dates, lecturers, titles

each session 13:15 to 14:45 either online via Zoom via the following link: https://bit.ly/zoomjens or on site at the Adlershof campus of HU Berlin, Rudower Chaussee 26, 12489 Berlin, first floor, room 0'110

For questions: please send a PM to Jens Nachtwei or by e-mail: jens.nachtwei@hu-berlin.de

In the current semester, from October 2024 to February 2025, the following topics will be presented by experts from various institutions and discussed with students and guests:

24.10.2024 - "Smart Cities"

presented by: Tobias Schröder

This lecture introduces the concept of "Smart Cities," defined as urban environments that capitalize on digital technology and large-scale data analytics to solve environmental problems and enhance sustainable development and quality of life. I will discuss what can be learned for the idea of smart cities from knowledge about individual intelligence of living organisms and collective intelligence of social systems and organizations, where adaptive responses to environmental problems emerge from interactions among individual components such as neurons and people, respectively. The lecture will also highlight current smart-city projects in the Berlin-Brandenburg area, such as Potsdam’s "Smart. Green. Just." initiative aimed at improving digital infrastructure for democratic and participatory city governance. To conclude, I will discuss some consequences for skill and human resource development in city administrations and related organizations such as utilities and transportation providers.

31.10.2024 - "How to Create Winning Digital Cultures" (working title)

presented by: Dr. Philipp Götting

Dr. Philipp Götting will instigate a multi-faceted discourse about how to create winning digital cultures. Fusing scientific insights – also represented by the lecture's participants – and his own practical experience. The latter is based on in-depth managerial challenges he faced as Managing Director of businesses taking on digital transformation. How to ready an organisation for change? How to overcome barriers? How to really implement and successfully transform organisations? And of course, how to embark on a journey of a lasting ability of adaptation? These are some of questions to be expected in the debate around winning digital cultures at Humboldt University’s lecture series.

07.11.2024 - "From Involvement to Co-Creation: Enhancing Human-Technology Interaction"

presented by: Dr. Andrea Augsten

Design research has made significant strides in establishing itself as a scientific-artistic domain. However, it still struggles to explain its potential contribution to other scientific communities. What does Design Research bring to the table for human-technology interaction? This talk provides a brief introduction to design research to lay the groundwork for a better understanding of the potential roles’ humans, particularly users, can play in research projects. We will explore various ways to co-create and participate in research projects, discussing both barriers and advantages such as language obstacles, holistic involvement, and funding mechanisms. During the talk, I will present several projects to illustrate the different forms of user involvement from both practical and academic perspectives.

14.11.2024 - "New Mittelstand Transformation: A Playbook for Sustainable Innovation"

presented by: Evgeni Kouris

In an era where digital disruption and sustainability are reshaping the business landscape, the traditional Mittelstand and family businesses must transform to remain competitive. This lecture introduces the “New Mittelstand Playbook”—a guide for driving sustainable innovation while preserving the core strengths of traditional business models. Built on the collective experience of the growing New Mittelstand community, with over 700 entrepreneurs, transformation leaders, and experts, the Playbook highlights six transformative fields, from leveraging AI and ESG trends to fostering adaptive organizational structures. Attendees will learn practical strategies for balancing tradition with innovation, ensuring long-term success in a rapidly changing world. Join us to discover how the New Mittelstand is redefining the future of business.

21.11.2024 - "Resilience: How Can it Help Organizations Navigate Uncertain Times"

presented by: Dr Heide Baumann

Dr Heide Baumann blends her business experience of leading digital transformation in some of the world's largest tech and media companies with her PhD research at Cambridge University. In this session, she explores, how to lead organisations effectively through complex and uncertain contexts. Combining outcomes from academic meta studies with examples from business transformation and participatory experiences, the session examines organisational resilience as a key factor in leading through complexity: What is this resilience thing - beyond the buzz, in conceptual terms? How can narratives and frames help us make better decisions? What does it take to bounce back better from adversity? Which propositions for successful management does resilience offer? Why is change so hard?

28.11.2024 - "Advanced Systems Engineering – Digital Transformation of Technical Systems and their Creation"

presented by: Prof. Dr. Lydia Kaiser

Digital transformation is not only changing technical products – it´s revolutionizing how we design, develop, and realize these systems. My talk will focus on Advanced Systems Engineering (ASE). Initially, we look at the technical systems, how they have changed over time, and how this raises new questions that need to be answered. This leads us to Systems Engineering, a transdisciplinary approach. But what makes it different, and what does it mean for companies that develop these systems? Ultimately, companies are facing a transformation in a short period of time. But this is just the beginning – AI is going to bring about change on another level. Join me in understanding the landscape of modern systems, how the engineering world is moving to a systems approach, and why you don´t have to be an engineer to be a part of it.

05.12.2024 - "How Assistance Systems Change Human Decision Making (for the Better?)"

presented by: Linda Onnasch

Assistance systems are intended to overcome human shortcomings in decision-making and thus make decisions more rational. However, we often rely too heavily on the system and follow (obviously) incorrect recommendations. This counteracts the goals of assistance systems to increase safety and performance. The reason for the inappropriate use of such systems is that it is simply very difficult to find out in which situations you should follow the system and when not. In concrete terms, the introduction of assistance systems therefore means the introduction of another decision problem! The talk will discuss this problem in detail and also pose the question of who is actually the greater source of error these days: humans or automation?

12.12.2024 - "Conquering Digital Overwhelm: Mastering Personal Knowledge Management in the Age of AI"

presented by: Patrick Gilroy

In the face of information overload, the art of Personal Knowledge Management (PKM) offers a lifeline. This talk will explore why and how cultivating effective PKM systems is all the more essential - and exciting - in our age of artificial intelligence (AI). We’ll look at how we might combat digital distraction or exhaustion with a mindset of productive essentialism, drawing from „second brain“ methods like Niklas Luhmann’s analogue Zettelkasten, David Allen’s Getting Things Done (GTD), Tiago Forte’s digital PARA approach, along with personal dabblings and professional experiments in navigating the digital deluge. It is argued that building idiosyncratic, working systems to collect, curate, create and share meaningful knowledge is an essential „future skill“ - not only for preserving personal self-efficacy but also for thriving organizational cultures in the future digital knowledge economy. AI offers powerful new avenues and tools here, but they require a good purpose and solid foundation.

09.01.2025 - "Leadership & Mgmt. w/ AI"

presented by: Dr. Martin Manhembué

Imagine a world in which managers no longer just hold the reins of day-to-day business, but act as visionaries who navigate their organizations through the challenges of a digitalized future. Artificial intelligence is fundamentally changing our working world - and with it the role of managers. Routine tasks and traditional management are receding into the background, while strategic thinking and human leadership skills are becoming increasingly important. But what does this mean in concrete terms? How can managers use AI to strengthen their teams and promote innovation? And how do organizations and projects change when AI becomes an integral part of everyday business? In my lecture, we will shed light on this exciting change. We will discuss in a practical way how AI is transforming the everyday lives of managers and what new challenges and opportunities are arising as a result. Come along and discover how you as a future manager can not only keep up, but actively shape the future!

16.01.2025 - "Digital Transformation – Will Work Become More Human?"

presented by: Dr. Philipp Zimmermann

Artificial Intelligence (AI), and particularly generative AI, is fundamentally transforming digitalization — not just technically, but primarily from a people-centered perspective. Generative AI acts as both a disruptive force and a catalyst for other digital technologies. It makes complex processes accessible to non-experts and significantly alters how businesses operate - across job families. New work models are emerging, characterized by flexibility, innovation, and a new collaboration between humans and machines. But how do we manage this transformation, and what does it really mean? Let us explore the context, the impact, and an approach that puts people and the future of work at the center.

23.01.2025 - "Working Smarter with Care Technologies: (How) is it Possible?"

presented by: Maxie Lutze

Digital care technologies are playing an increasingly important role, especially in long-term care. They promise to improve the quality of care and reduce the workload of caregivers. But why is the use of these technologies often so challenging in everyday care? From artificial intelligence for data analysis to sensor-based systems and digital documentation solutions—the range of technologies is broad. They all aim to relieve caregivers from routine tasks and create more time for direct patient care. However, in practice, solutions that truly meet the actual needs are often lacking. In this lecture series, we will take a joint look at the potential and limitations of various digital tools. We will discuss how they can be meaningfully integrated into daily care and how both caregivers and care recipients can benefit. A special focus will be on the collaboration between technology developers, caregivers, researchers, and policymakers—because only together can we unlock the full potential of these technologies. Take this opportunity to explore the future of care and discuss the opportunities and challenges of digital innovations. Guiding questions: - Why is digitization a topic in care? - What are digital technologies used for in care? - How do caregivers and care recipients benefit? - How can their implementation succeed in everyday care?

30.01.2025 - "The Invisible Hand of the Algorithm: How Platform Work and Algorithmic Management are Shaping the Future of Work (for Generation Z)"

presented by: Prof. Dr. Maren Borkert

The digital transformation is radically changing our working world. Platforms such as Uber, Lieferando, Taskrabbit and Wolt offer seemingly limitless flexibility - but what does this really mean for the people who work behind the algorithms? As part of the lecture series, we will take a deep dive into the world of algorithmic management, which is increasingly determining the working conditions of millions of platform workers. What does it feel like when an algorithm decides when and how much you work and when you take a break? What happens when your income depends on an invisible, unquestionable rating? How do customers behave when the lack of visibility and the lack of opportunities to object reinforce gender and migration-specific power imbalances? These developments are particularly important for Generation Z, which strives for meaningfulness and fair working conditions. They are the first generation to fully enter this digital world of work - and often encounter harsh realities. Is the future of work really as transparent, flexible and self-determined as we are promised? Or are we experiencing a new form of control that turns people into the puppets of algorithms? Join us on an emotional and analytical journey through the world of platform work. Be touched by the personal stories of drivers at Uber, couriers at Lieferando and the invisible cleaners at Betreut.de. Experience the challenges when, for example, constant monitoring, the uncertainty of payment and dependence on algorithm-based ratings determine their working hours and job assignments. You can expect an exciting insight that shows why we need to view the digital transformation not only as a technological challenge, but also as a social one.