Research Cluster "Systems"

The research cluster "Systems" at Hasso Plattner Institute for Digital Engineering (HPI) focuses on the controllability of complex, software-intensive systems and the processes of their development, operation, and application. The complexity of such systems manifests itself in the high number and heterogeneity of interacting data streams, hardware, and software components.

The "Systems" research cluster is home to the HPI research groups that are primarily associated with practical and technical computer science. We train computer scientists who can master the complexity of current and future hardware and software systems. Research and teaching address all aspects of such systems, from design and modeling to implementation, deployment, practical application, and long-term operation and maintenance. 

We are proud to find the alumni of the "Systems" research cluster in established industries, with large users, in the thriving start-up scene, and in a university career as a professor.

Research Focuses

1. Modeling: Models, methods, and systems for modeling software products and processes (business processes, development processes, etc.) play a decisive role in software engineering. This applies to the system view of software-intensive systems as well as to the penetration of individual aspects.
    
2. Programming techniques and software architectures: Software architecture is the subject of software engineering, which includes the theoretical foundations, means of expression, and architecture types for software-intensive systems. This is linked to the classification of components and relationship types, the derivation of model architectures for essential application domains, the prefabrication and use of component types, their management and composition, the evaluation of architecture variants, allocation, and replication. This subject area, based on knowledge of programming technology, is not just theoretical. It also includes special subsystems, components and frameworks that support certain product features with a reusable character, such as security in software-intensive systems. The practical application of knowledge is what makes this field so exciting and inspiring. 
    
3. Core software systems: Core software systems are subsystems that are largely application-independent and, together with hardware, form the basis for the development of software-intensive systems. These primarily include operating systems, database systems, communication systems, systems for human-machine communication, middleware, compilers and interpreters, knowledge processing systems, among others. A deep understanding of the component structure and the program interfaces is paramount for the effective functioning of these systems. In addition to pure software systems, there are also software-hardware systems. That is, computer systems that have been extended by microcontroller-based components (e.g., cameras, mobile devices, scanners, and machines for manufacturing). 
    
4. Processes: Building on the areas mentioned above, various process-related sub-areas in software engineering aim to create the organizational and technical framework conditions for software design, software management, and software quality assurance. Suitable processes are an indispensable prerequisite for the development of large software-intensive systems.
    
5. System view and integration projects: An outstanding feature of the Digital Engineering Faculty degree programs is integrating all training areas into a holistic system view, including projects and software laboratories. We attach great importance to the practical implementation of our theoretical knowledge. This includes implementing innovative solutions and their application in real-life scenarios.

Cluster Members