A Short History of the Document and its Future as a Shapeshifter

Hans Kamm, BRAINSPHERE INFORMATIONWORKS GMBH

We are all accustomed to documenting our business transactions on paper. When we buy something, we sign the order and obtain a receipt. When we buy insurance, we get a policy printed on heavyweight paper stock. The modern PDF variant is nothing more than the digital equivalent of DIN A4 paper. Will all this stay the same in the digital age, when entire business processes are transacted over a browser or smartphone? And if not, what do companies in application development and output management do to take advantage of the opportunities?