Modulhandbuch (Module manual)

Categorizing objects, also known as classification, is a fundamental cognitive process. People classify objects to simplify their understanding of the world and to avoid being overwhelmed by the sheer diversity of objects. Taxonomies help humans classify objects according to similarities and differences, enabling researchers and practitioners to describe, understand, and analyze phenomena of interest. While taxonomies have a long history in the natural and social sciences, they also play a central role in the discipline of Information Systems (IS), given the speed of socio-technical progress that requires continuous efforts to understand phenomena such as generative AI, blockchain, digital business models, social commerce, etc.

In this seminar, students will learn how to build, evaluate and apply a taxonomy in a systematic, transparent and reproducible way. For students, developing taxonomies is a highly valuable skill. It helps to make sense of complex digital environments, spot patterns, and create useful insights. These skills are relevant for careers in research, consulting, and practice — where you often need to understand and structure new technologies and systems."

The workload for the course is as follows: In the first half of the semester, there will be weekly input sessions (6–8 sessions in total), followed by individual projects for each enrolled student in the second half of the semester. The written project report due before the end of the lecture period at the end of January concludes this module.​

​can describe, classify, and analyze a current IS phenomenon of their own choosing.

​The seminar is offered in english.