All about Process Management 2026
by Kevin Lang
Never before have processes been so quickly automatable as they are today. However, not every automation that is technically possible is also sensible. Which processes are truly worthwhile was the focus of the lecture by Kevin Lang, Head of BPM at brix and President of PEAK (Process Excellence and Knowledge), at the All About Process Management 2026 in Stuttgart. In this recap, we summarize what we took away from the two days at the International Congress Center of the Stuttgart Trade Fair – and what that means for your automation projects.
Full rows on the topic of automation potential
The All about Process Management took place from September 30 to October 1 and brought together users, consulting companies, technology providers, and process management professionals from various industries. Kevin spoke as part of the PEAK lecture – the association for process management supported by brix as a sponsor.
His lecture "Automating the Right Processes – From Gut Feeling to Decision" on the second day of the conference was filled to the last seat. The core message: Automation only adds value if companies evaluate their processes in a structured way instead of deciding based on gut feeling. This includes:
- Automation Potential: Where does automation actually provide relief – and where not?
- Clear Decision Criteria: According to which criteria are priorities set?
- Economic Benefit: What effort is balanced against what relief?
The many questions and the lively discussion afterward showed how many organizations are currently facing this prioritization. Those who understand first and then automate invest more purposefully, avoid bad investments, and achieve measurable improvements.
Which impulses remain?
The content of the program ranged from classic process modeling and analysis to AI, Process Intelligence, RPA, Low-Code, and Change Management. Two thoughts from other presentations particularly stuck with us:
- «Value first»: In his keynote, Dr. Markus Schlobohm emphasized that best practices have an expiration date. Many processes were created under conditions that AI is changing today – so it's worth rethinking from the desired outcome.
- Change vs. Transformation: Franz Dinhobl distinguished between Change («How can we become better?») and Transformation («Who do we need to become?»). With AI, this distinction becomes concrete: Are we automating existing processes – or fundamentally redesigning the way we work?
Both impulses lead to the same realization as Kevin's presentation: Technology is not the starting point, but the tool after the goal is clarified. From our perspective, this is the crucial point: whether a task is solved rule-based or with AI is the second question. The first is, what result should a process deliver at all?
Formats for exchange on equal footing
In addition to keynotes and parallel specialist tracks, the event focused on interactive formats. In the two-day process hackathon, students and experienced professionals developed solution approaches and initial prototypes for real challenges using BPM methods, RPA, iPaaS, and low-code platforms.
New was the matchmaking app: participants could network in advance and arrange approximately 20-minute conversations at assigned tables. This turned random networking into targeted professional exchange – according to Kevin's assessment, one of the highlights of the event.
Conclusion
The All About Process Management has shown that process management is far more than methodology and documentation – it is the lever to meaningfully implement new technologies. The full session confirmed to us: The question of which processes are worth automating is currently occupying many organizations. We are considering the event again in 2027 – perhaps with a stronger presence of brix on site.
A heartfelt thank you to the organizing team of Messe Stuttgart, to all the speakers, and to the participants for the many conversations.
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