Discover key terms and technical terms in our industry. In our comprehensive lexicon, you'll find understandable explanations and definitions to help you navigate through complex concepts and technologies.
5G technology refers to the fifth generation of mobile technology, which enables significantly faster data transfer, lower latency and higher capacity compared to previous generations.
Tech-Innovation
An A/B test is a method for comparatively analyzing two variants (A and B) of a website, application, or digital product to determine which variant performs better. This method is often used in market research and in the area of user experience (UX) design to make data-based decisions.
UX/UI-Design
API management refers to the process of creating, publishing, securing, monitoring, and managing interfaces (APIs) that enable applications to communicate with each other.
Softwareentwicklung
An API gateway is an interface management component that serves as an entry point into a system to process API requests. It is a layer that mediates between client requests and the various backend services.
Accessibility standards are guidelines and regulations developed to ensure that products, services, and environments are accessible to people with disabilities. These standards aim to provide equal access and use options to all users, regardless of their physical or cognitive abilities.
After-sales means all services and interactions that take place after a product or service has been sold. The aim is to increase customer satisfaction, strengthen customer loyalty and generate additional revenue through maintenance, spare parts, upgrades or training.
Customer Journey
Agile development is an iterative and team-oriented approach to the software development process that is characterized by flexibility, continuous feedback, and continuous improvement of the end product. The aim is to maximize customer satisfaction through early and regular delivery of functional software.
An application programming interface (API) is a collection of rules and specifications that allows different software programs to interact with each other and exchange functions or data. APIs define the methods and data structures that programs can use to communicate with each other without knowing the details of each implementation.
Artificial intelligence is the area of computer science that deals with the development of computer systems that can perform tasks that normally require human intelligence. This includes understanding language, recognizing images, learning from experience, and solving complex problems.
Asset management is the systematic management and monitoring of a company's physical and financial assets to maximize their value and efficiency.
Augmented reality is the computer-aided extension of the perception of reality. This technology overlays virtual information or objects over a live image of the real world in real time, usually through the use of cameras, sensors, displays and software.
Augmented analytics refers to the use of machine learning and artificial intelligence (AI) to automate data preparation and analysis. This enables users to gain deeper insights and make more informed decisions without the need for extensive knowledge of data science.
Data
Automated testing is a process in software development that uses specialized software to automatically check other software for errors. These tests repeat defined tasks to ensure that the program delivers the expected results and does not show any adverse side effects.
Automation refers to the process in which manual or mental tasks are taken over by machines, technologies, or systems to increase efficiency and productivity. This is done by using algorithms, robots and other technological tools that reduce human errors and optimize work processes. Automation is used in a wide range of industries and areas, from manufacturing to administration, and contributes to the development of new technologies and innovations.
Behavioral analytics refers to the study of data that describes the behavior of individuals or groups. This analysis aims to identify patterns and trends to make predictions about future behavior and enable informed decisions.
Big data refers to extremely large amounts of data that come from various sources and are generated at high speed. This data is often so extensive and complex that conventional data processing tools can process it ineffectively.
Blockchain is a decentralized technology or distributed ledger that stores data about all transactions in chronological order and transparently. Each block in the chain contains a specific number of transactions and is linked to the previous block by cryptographic methods, which ensures data integrity.
Business intelligence (BI) comprises the strategies and technologies used by companies to analyze data and obtain business-relevant information. The aim is to make well-founded decisions and improve company performance by systematically evaluating data from various sources.
Business process automation (BPA) refers to the use of technology to automate repetitive, rule-based tasks within a company to increase efficiency and reduce human errors. BPA solutions use software applications that make it easier and faster to execute extensive business processes.
Change management is a systematic approach to successfully plan, implement and monitor changes in an organization. This includes the methods, tools, and processes that are used to manage the human, structural, and technological aspects of change.
Platform strategies
A chatbot is a computer program that is able to communicate with people just like a human being. Chatbots are often used in customer service applications to answer customer questions and solve problems.
Digital interactions
Churn prevention refers to the strategies and measures that companies take to minimize the risk of customer churn and strengthen the loyalty of existing customers. The aim is to identify potential reasons for emigration at an early stage and to proactively initiate countermeasures.
The cloud refers to a technology that delivers applications, services, and data over the Internet. Instead of being stored on a local computer or a company-owned server, applications and data are stored in remote data centers and accessed from there via the Internet.
A code review is a systematic process in which the source code of a software project is reviewed by one or more people who are not the original authors of the code. The aim is to identify errors, improve the quality of the code and ensure that it meets established development standards.
A collaboration platform is a digital environment that allows different users to work together, share information, and work on projects together. These platforms provide tools and features that make communication and collaboration easier, regardless of where team members are located.
Color psychology is the study of the effects of colors on human behavior and perception. It investigates how different colors can influence moods, feelings and behaviours and is used specifically to elicit specific reactions in various contexts.
A computerized maintenance management system (CMMS) is a software solution that helps companies manage, plan and carry out maintenance work.
A content management system (CMS) is software that makes it possible to create, manage and publish content on digital platforms without the need for special technical knowledge. A CMS usually separates content from presentation so that users can edit content without knowing HTML or other programming languages.
Continuous deployment is a software development practice in which every change that passes all tests in the production process is automatically deployed to the production environment. This process makes it possible to deliver changes to customers quickly and efficiently, without manual intervention in the approval process.
Continuous integration (CI) is a software development method in which members of a team integrate their work results frequently — usually several times a day — into a joint development branch. The aim is to identify errors at an early stage and improve software quality through automated builds and tests.
Conversational AI refers to systems and technologies that can understand and react to natural language. These systems use artificial intelligence (AI) techniques, such as machine learning and natural language processing (NLP), to enable human-like interactions.
Conversion, or conversion, in marketing is the transformation of a website visitor into a customer by carrying out a desired action. This action could be buying a product, signing up for a newsletter, filling out a contact form, or any other measurable activity that helps achieve business goals.
Cross-platform integration refers to the ability of different software systems and technologies to seamlessly interact with each other and exchange data, regardless of the particular platform or operating system. This integration allows applications and services to work across devices and operating systems while remaining consistent.
Cross-selling is the sales strategy in which customers are offered additional products or services that complement a product that has already been purchased or selected. This method aims to increase a customer's value to the company by selling more, related products.
Customer centricity is a business strategy that places the customer at the center of all company activities. The aim is to develop a deep understanding of the needs and wishes of customers and to orient the entire company to meet or exceed them.
Customer Data Integration (CDI) is the process of combining and unifying customer data from various sources into a consistent and comprehensive view of every customer.
A customer data platform (CDP) is software that collects, standardizes, organizes, and stores data from various customer interaction points for marketing purposes. The goal of a CDP is to create a uniform, comprehensive customer profile that can be updated in real time and used by various systems within a company.
Customer experience (CX) is the entirety of all experiences that a customer has during the entire interaction with a company. It covers all aspects of customer perception, from the quality of the product or service to customer service and after-sales support.
Customer Feedback Management (CFM) refers to the systematic process of collecting, analyzing, and managing feedback, opinions, and reviews from customers.
Customer Lifetime Value (CLV) is a key figure that quantifies the total value of a customer for a company over the entire duration of the business relationship. CLV estimates a customer's financial contribution based on past purchases, expected future transactions, and other interaction values.
Customer self-service, CSS for short, is a strategy and technology that enables customers to obtain information, make inquiries and solve problems independently, without direct contact with a service representative. This can be done via various digital channels, such as websites, apps, or self-service portals.
Customer service is the support and support that a company provides to its customers before, during and after the purchase of products or services. The aim is to increase customer satisfaction, solve problems efficiently and ensure long-term customer loyalty.
Customer Success Management (CSM) refers to a company's strategic and systematic approach to ensuring that customers get full benefit and success from the company's products and services.
Customer feedback refers to the feedback, opinions, and reviews that customers provide about their experiences with a product, service, or company. It is a valuable tool for companies to gain insights into customer satisfaction to maintain and identify areas for improvement.
Customer interactions refer to any communication and interaction between a company and its customers. These can take place via various channels such as personal conversations, phone calls, emails, social media or live chats. Customer interactions are crucial for building customer relationships, customer satisfaction, and identifying areas for improvement in products or services.
Customer journey mapping is a method of visualizing a customer's entire journey through all points of interaction and experiences with a company. This tool is used to better understand the customer's perspective and, based on this, optimize customer interactions.
Customer loyalty refers to the strategies and measures taken by a company that aim to establish and maintain long-term relationships with customers. The aim is to increase customer loyalty and satisfaction in order to increase the repurchase rate, recommendation rate and customer value over time.
Customer onboarding is the process by which new customers of a company are introduced to using a product or service. The aim is to inform and support customers so that they can get the most out of their purchase.
A customer portal is a digital platform that enables companies to offer their customers central, secure and personalized access to various services and information. Through the portal, customers can access their personal information, carry out transactions, submit support requests, and more, depending on the specific features that the company provides.
Customer recovery refers to the strategic measures taken by a company to regain lost customers. This includes targeted campaigns and offers aimed at getting former customers to return by addressing their previous preferences and experiences.
Customer relationship management (CRM) is the strategic approach and technological support that companies use to manage and analyze their relationships with current and potential customers. The main goal of CRM systems is to improve customer loyalty by effectively addressing customer needs and optimizing customer interactions across various channels.
Customer satisfaction is the extent to which a customer's expectations are met or exceeded by a company's products or services. It is an important indicator of the quality of customer relationships and a decisive factor for customer loyalty and long-term business success.
Customer segmentation is the process of dividing a customer base into smaller groups that share similar characteristics, needs, or behaviors. This enables companies to make their marketing strategies, product developments and services more targeted and efficient.
A customer self-service portal or platform is a web application that allows customers to access specific services or information without having to rely on the help of an employee. It is essentially an online platform that provides customers with a range of tools to answer their questions, solve their problems, and obtain information about a product or service.
Cyber-physical systems (CPS) are integrated networks of computer-aided components that interact directly with physical processes. They use sensors and actuators to collect and react to data from the physical world. The combination of computer and software technologies with network and physical processes enables CPS to react autonomously and in real time to environmental changes.
Cybersecurity refers to the protection of computer systems, networks, programs, and data from digital attacks aimed at accessing, altering, or destroying confidential information.
A cybersecurity mesh is a modern security architecture concept that aims to implement distributed and modular security services in a flexible and scalable way. It makes it possible to secure networks, data, and applications regardless of their physical location.
Data ethics refers to the moral principles and practices used when collecting, processing, storing, and using data. It includes responsibility to protect privacy, compliance with laws and regulations, and ensuring transparency and fairness in handling data.
Data governance comprises the entirety of processes, guidelines, standards, and technologies required to ensure the availability, usability, integrity, security, and effectiveness of data in an organization. The aim is to guarantee high data quality and responsible use of data.
A data lake is a central repository that stores large amounts of unstructured and structured data in its raw format until it is needed. It allows data to be stored in various formats and from different sources, which enables flexible and scalable data management.
Data architecture refers to the structuring, organization, and management of data within a company. It comprises the rules, standards, and models that are used to store, manage, and use data.
Data integration is the process of combining data from various sources into a coherent data set to provide a unified and comprehensive view of this information. The aim is to bring together disparate data in such a way that it can be used for analysis and decision-making.
Data integrity refers to the accuracy and consistency of data across its entire life cycle. It means that data remains unchanged, complete, and reliable, and is protected from unauthorized access or changes.
Data migration refers to the process of transferring data between storage systems, data formats, or computer systems. The aim is to effectively and securely transfer data from an old system to a new system, often as part of system upgrades, the implementation of new systems or IT restructuring.
Data mining is the process of systematically applying statistical methods to large amounts of data, with the aim of identifying patterns and relationships that are useful for business decisions.
Data quality is the extent to which data sets meet the requirements and expectations in terms of accuracy, timeliness, relevance, completeness and consistency. High data quality is crucial for carrying out reliable analyses and making well-founded decisions.
Data quality assurance refers to the processes and measures taken to ensure that the data stored in a system is accurate, complete, consistent, and reliable.
Data sovereignty refers to control and ownership of data. It describes the ability of an organization or an individual to determine the use, access, and management of data.
A data strategy is a comprehensive plan that describes how an organization will manage, analyze, and use its data to improve business results. The German term for data strategy is data strategy.
Data visualization is the process of presenting data in graphical form to make complex information understandable and accessible. The aim is to make insights and trends in the data visible through visual means such as charts, graphs and maps.
Data warehousing is the storage and management of large amounts of data from various sources in a central repository. This system is optimized to enable quick access, analysis and reporting and thus supports decision-making processes in companies.
Design thinking is an iterative, user-centered innovation process that aims to develop creative solutions to complex problems.
DevOps is a software development practice that aims to improve collaboration and communication between the traditionally separate functions of software development (Dev) and IT operations (Ops). The aim is to optimize software delivery in terms of speed, efficiency, and quality.
Digital asset management (DAM) refers to managing, organizing, and distributing digital content, such as photos, videos, graphics, and other media files. It comprises processes and software solutions that aim to optimize the accessibility and management of digital resources.
A digital experience platform (DXP) is an integrated and modular software solution that enables companies to create, manage, and optimize digital content across multiple channels. It aims to create personalized user experiences by using customer data, analytics, artificial intelligence, and digital technologies.
Digital Rights Management (DRM) refers to technologies and methods that ensure the protection and management of copyrights and digital content. DRM systems control access to and use of digital media and thus secure the rights of authors and rights holders.
A digital twin, or digital twin, is a virtual representation of a physical object, system, or process. It is created to simulate and analyze real entities in a digital environment. By continuously updating with real-time data from connected sensors and other sources of information, the Digital Twin accurately reflects the current state of its physical counterpart.
A digital workplace refers to a virtual work environment that comprises all digital tools and resources that employees need to perform their tasks efficiently. This can range from communication and collaboration tools to project management applications.
Digital ecosystems are networks of interacting digital technologies, platforms, and applications that work together to add value and improve efficiency. They include various players, such as companies, customers, partners and suppliers, who are connected via digital interfaces and exchange information and services.
Digital marketing automation refers to the use of software and technologies to automate marketing processes. This includes automating marketing campaigns, customer interactions, and data analytics to increase the efficiency and effectiveness of marketing activities.
Digital signage refers to the use of digital display systems to visually display information, advertising and other content. This technology uses screens such as LCD, LED, and projections to dynamically and interactively present content in public places or in business environments.
A digital supply chain refers to the integration of digital technologies into a company's entire supply chain to optimize processes, increase transparency and increase efficiency.
Digital transformation is the continuous process of integrating digital technologies into all areas of a company, which results in fundamental changes in working methods and business models.
A digital twin is a virtual replica of a physical object, process, or system that reflects its behavior in real time.
Digitalization is the process of converting analog information into digital formats and integrating digital technologies into all areas of a company. The aim is to optimize business processes, increase efficiency and tap into new value creation potential.
Disintermediation is the process of bypassing or eliminating intermediaries in a supply chain or sales line. This enables producers or service providers to interact directly with end users, which often results in cost reductions and more efficient processes.
Distributed Ledger Technology (DLT) refers to digital systems that store and update data on multiple computers at the same time. This technology makes it possible to store transactions and information in a decentralized and secure manner without the need for a central supervisory authority.
E-commerce is the purchase and sale of goods and services over the Internet. Business transactions are processed digitally without the need for physical contact between buyer and seller.
E-mail automation is the use of software to plan, personalize, and execute the sending of emails based on predefined triggers and scenarios. This enables timely and targeted communication with customers or prospects without manual intervention.
ETL stands for extract, transform, and load and describes a process in which data is extracted from various sources, transformed into a uniform format, and then loaded into a target database or data warehouse. ETL is a fundamental part of data warehousing and business intelligence.
Edge AI refers to the integration and execution of artificial intelligence (AI) directly at the “edge” of a network, i.e. close to data sources, instead of sending this data to remote data centers or clouds for processing. This technology makes it possible to process data in real time where it is generated.
Edge computing is a distributed computer architecture in which data processing is moved to the edge of the network, close to data sources such as IoT devices or local computer systems. The aim is to minimize latency, reduce bandwidth consumption and improve the efficiency of network applications by analyzing and processing data locally before sending it to a central data center or to the cloud as needed.
Elastic computing is the ability of a system to automatically scale computing resources to meet the needs of applications as needed. This technology makes it possible to dynamically expand or reduce computing capacities, which is particularly useful in the cloud environment.
Emotional loyalty describes the deep emotional bond that customers develop with a brand, based on positive experiences and strong brand identification. This form of loyalty goes beyond purely transactional relationships and includes affective aspects such as trust, affection and a personal connection to the brand.
Enterprise resource planning (ERP) describes a category of software solutions that are designed to integrate and manage the various processes within a company. ERP systems make it possible to coordinate all essential business functions — from production to logistics to financial management — in a uniform system.
Exploded drawings are detailed representations of complex objects or systems in which the individual components are represented spatially separately in order to illustrate the relationship and arrangement of the parts to one another. They are a form of technical illustration that is used primarily in engineering and mechanical engineering.
Field service management (FSM) refers to the administration of field workers who provide services away from the company's location. This includes planning, scheduling, and tracking deployments, maintaining and repairing equipment, and managing customer interactions and orders.
FigJam is an online whiteboard tool developed by Figma, specifically designed for collaborative teamwork. It allows teams to collaborate in real time, visualize ideas, brainstorm, and create feedback loops.
Figma is a cloud-based graphic design and prototyping tool known for its collaborative functionality. It allows designers to work seamlessly on graphics projects, user interfaces, and user experiences (UI/UX) in real time, both in a browser and in a desktop application.
A framework is a basic structural concept that consists of predefined classes and functions to support and simplify the development of software applications. It provides a standardized way to build and integrate software components, often including specific libraries and APIs (Application Programming Interfaces) that automate repetitive tasks.
