Driven by developments in the Internet of Things, more and more physical products are digitalized by adding sensors, algorithms and software. In this way, products are connected to the digital communicative processes. In this context, we are investigating the types of product digitalizations possible and how digitalized products can be connected to existing and new digital communication channels. A further thematic focus is the 'digitalization of customer processes'. Here, we examine how a customer relationship has to be built up in a digital form in order to be able to run profitably for companies and customers.

Within the scope of this focus, we examine the potential, applications and effects of digital communication channels, such as social and mobile media, from the perspective of companies. In particular, we are interested in the value-adding and integrated application of different digital communication channels as part of the «Customer Journeys» and holistic customer experience.

How does the behavior of digital users change and how can it be achieved by digital communication? Through quantitative and qualitative investigations, we try to understand digital users and their communication methods. Some questions in this context are: how are digital communication channels used? What motivates users to communicate via social media or mobile media? Does social media cause new forms of escapism? How do digital users participate in political and social processes? How do users network and what impact do such structures have on companies? These and similar questions are of interest both to the totality of the digital users and to specific user groups, e.g. customers of companies, researchers, politicians and others.

Last but not least, digital communication and the digitalization of products and processes lead to changes in business models. Taking into account research results from the other key areas, we are developing process models with which companies can examine and develop their digital business models. The individual research areas cover the entire design process for digital products, processes and business models and interlock. The individual topics are examined in various focused research projects and are summarized in generic approach models.

How can the performance of digital processes, products and communication be measured? In order to get a comprehensive picture, existing approaches for web, social and mobile analytics have to be integrated in a new form and supplemented by new metrics. In this way, we examine and develop suitable approaches to measure the performance from the perspective of customer journeys and digital customer experience.