1. A computer-implemented information system comprising: a database provided in a computer-readable storage device, data objects stored in the database, the data objects each having at least one design time characteristic associated therewith and further having at least one of a subscriber role and a publisher role, with each data object interacting with one or more applications through an application program interface (API); an event controller for associating customized data object events with at least some of the data objects subsequent to the design time, the event controller: receiving a first subscription request from a first data object of the data objects, where the first subscription request is based on a first customized data object event and comprises a first event category field and a first event type defined subsequent to the design time; identifying a second data object as having the publisher role based on the first event category field; transmitting a message to the second data object, the message instructing the second data object to transmit a first event to the first data object, the first event corresponding to the first event type; maintaining a list of subscriptions related to the data objects, the subscription list maintained by the event controller subsequent to the design time; and a message broker adapted to receive and transmit subscription requests subsequent to the design time and to communicate with the database.