Domain specific language (DSL) platform for knowledge management

Embedded within a broader platform initiative in collaboration with the Confirm research center for Smart Manufacturing, this research explores aspects of the knowledge alignment in the business decisions in an Industry 4.0, context, with attention to supporting better, holistic decisions, especially concerning the consideration of sustainability and risk. The overarching project's goal in which this research is embedded was to establish a cohesive framework to address the complex challenges of a Digital Thread connecting all the aspects of data, processes and compliance in Smart Manufacturing scenarios. Within this context, this thesis focuses on the development of a service-oriented Domain Specific Language (DSL) platform for improved knowledge management and exploitation within the evolving landscape of the Digital Thread demonstrators. This research addresses the pressing need for a tailored solution to better informed decision makers of different backgrounds and competences, by introducing a platform that uses the domain specific vocabulary of the stakeholders, and holistically integrates risk management and sustainability considerations into knowledge management practices. Introducing a guiding methodology and then a DSL supporting it through an extensible IT platform, we help organisations mitigate risks and promote sustainability within their organizational processes. The platform aims to streamline and optimize the complexities associated with managing information, enabling organizations to scope and conduct operations more efficiently and with greater foresight. Key features of the DSL platform include specialized modules dedicated to risk assessment and sustainability, this way helping organizations to align with global sustainability goals. The DLS includes a collection of processes and workflows that guide the orchestration of the collaboration between responsibles of typically different groups within a company and organization, it provides fully implemented processes for the combined aspects of sustainability and risk, it provides an extensible collection of implemented service-oriented building blocks for the core functionalities in this platform, and a fully implemented specialized application for an SME. The methodology has been validated in a series of workshops with responsibles of research centers and collaborative projects. The central challenge addressed here and the proposed solution through the extensible DSL platform are however more general than just considering sustainability and risk: the methodology is applicable also to other pervasive concerns like compliance or innovation. Its relevance transcends its mere technological implementation; it fosters a collective perspective, provides processes guiding the interactions, and includes models like SWOT analysis and canvasses that address aspects like quality, customer perception, and margins, intricately woven into the tapestry of "systems of systems."