Prof Jan vom Brocke, one of the world’s leading information systems scholars, delivered the inaugural Distinguished International Collaborator lecture at Maynooth University as part of Research Week 2024, the annual celebration of the multi-disciplinary research under way at the University.
Prof vom Brocke, Chair of Information Systems and Business Process Management at the University of Münster in Germany, delivered his lecture, Process Science – Leveraging Digital Trace Data for Service Innovation, in the TSI Building on Thursday.
He is one of two academics appointed under MU’s Distinguished International Collaborator programme last year, the first to be appointed to such a role. In his lecture, he addressed how the discipline of process science, which he co-founded, can advance the capabilities of digital service innovation in times of change.
“Process Science to me personally is something super exciting because it marks a new era for process research which is grounded on data which is so largely available these days and it also utilises AI algorithms which are so fascinating,” he said.
“The ubiquitous availability of digital trace data, combined with advanced data analytics capabilities, offer new and unprecedented opportunities to study such processes through multiple data sources. Process science is concerned with describing, explaining, and intervening in socio-technical change,” he said.
According to Prof vom Brocke, process science is based on four key principles:
- It puts socio-technical processes at the centre of attention
- It investigates socio-technical processes scientifically
- It embraces perspectives of multiple disciplines
- It aims to create impact by actively shaping the unfolding of socio-technical processes
Introducing the lecture, Maynooth President Prof Eeva Leinonen said: “Professor vom Brocke’s pioneering work in Process Science is an important addition to our academic community and aligns with our strengths in digital transformation.
"The Distinguished International Collaborator Programme brings global experts like Professor vom Brocke to Maynooth University, offering new opportunities for our students, staff, and the wider community to engage with leading research and further enhance the impact of our work.”
In his lecture, Prof vom Brocke outlined the Process Science methodology – descriptive process science, explanatory process science and then prescriptive process science, all building up towards innovating services for societies and businesses.
“The beauty is we ground what we do on the evidence we capture from digital traces, which are all around us – that’s the descriptive process science. Then, based on that, we try to make sense of what we see in context and we try to identify patterns – behavioural patterns, process patterns which help us to understand and categorise and make sense of various dynamics we see these days,” he said.
“Then we build on that, we get to the innovative solutions we develop based on this understanding in order to make processes more enjoyable, more efficient, more environmentally friendly, more sustainable, more resilient.”
The lecture was followed by a panel discussion between Prof vom Brocke, IVI Director Prof Markus Helfert, Prof Rachel Msetfi, MU’s Vice President for Research and Innovation and Dr Sarah Gibney, Principal Officer at the Department of Public Expenditure, National Development Plan Delivery & Reform.
Prof vom Brocke is Director of the European Research Center for Information Systems (ERCIS) and has received international acclaim, having published over 400 scientific articles.
He is also the author and editor of 36 books and is working with colleagues in MU’s Innovation Value Institute (IVI) and the Faculty of Social Sciences through the Distinguished International Collaborator programme, which was set up to strengthen MU’s international networks and enrich its intellectual environment. Visiting professors, who have obtained eminence and leadership in their field of expertise or profession, engage in activities that contribute to the university community, including lectures for faculty and graduate students.
 |
 |
 |
 |
Clockwise top left to right: Prof Jan vom Brocke, Chair of Information Systems and Business Process Management, University of Münster in Germany; Director of the IVI Prof Markus Helfert; MU's Vice President of Research & Innovation Prof Rachel Msefti; MU President Prof Eeva Leinonen and Dr Sarah Gibney, Principal Officer at the Department of Public Expenditure, National Development Plan Delivery & Reform