Digitization for Integration:Fragmented realities in the utility sector

The construction industry and its reform agendas commonly assume that digitization of a construction asset's life cycle also integrates its stakeholders. Behind this lies the premise that stakeholders reduce ambiguity and create consistency by using software that operates on the basis of shared and uniform knowledge. To explore this premise, this study identified the knowledge bases - data standards and modelling protocols for engineering software - that distinctive underground infrastructure owner’s use. To this end, we analysed a utility engineering consultancy that registers and processes asset data of twelve major utility owners. We observed their utility information managers and studied their asset management guidelines. We used two utility taxonomies from literature to compare identified digital modelling standards. Subsequently, we used literature about modelling standards in digital practices to argue how selected examples of divergent digital models hamper uniformity. We conclude that digital reality models may also differ and thus confuse, fragment, and ultimately delimit collaborative digital practices. This insight stresses the relevance of defining shared domain understanding to facilitate the uptake of software for collaborative engineering practices. It stimulates construction improvement agents to consider this important notion of shared digital realities in their debates about achieving integration by ‘going digital'

Development of a digital twin operational platform using Python Flask

The digital twin concept has developed as a method for extracting value from data, and is being developed as a new technique for the design and asset management of high-value engineering systems such as aircraft, energy generating plant, and wind turbines. In terms of implementation, many proprietary digital twin software solutions have been marketed in this domain. In contrast, this paper describes a recently released open-source software framework for digital twins, which provides a browser-based operational platform using Python and Flask. The new platform is intended to maximize connectivity between users and data obtained from the physical twin. This paper describes how this type of digital twin operational platform (DTOP) can be used to connect the physical twin and other Internet-of-Things devices to both users and cloud computing services. The current release of the software—DTOP-Cristallo—uses the example of a three-storey structure as the engineering asset to be managed. Within DTOP-Cristallo, specific engineering software tools have been developed for use in the digital twin, and these are used to demonstrate the concept. At this stage, the framework presented is a prototype. However, the potential for open-source digital twin software using network connectivity is a very large area for future research and development

PuLSE-I: Deriving instances from a product line infrastructure

Reusing assets during application engineering promises to improve the efficiency of systems development. However, in order to benefit from reusable assets, application engineering processes must incorporate when and how to use the reusable assets during single system development. However, when and how to use a reusable asset depends on what types of reusable assets have been created.Product line engineering approaches produce a reusable infrastructure for a set of products. In this paper, we present the application engineering process associated with the PuLSE product line software engineering method - PuLSE-I. PuLSE-I details how single systems can be built efficiently from the reusable product line infrastructure built during the other PuLSE activities

A Process Framework for Semantics-aware Tourism Information Systems

The growing sophistication of user requirements in tourism due to the advent of new technologies such as the Semantic Web and mobile computing has imposed new possibilities for improved intelligence in Tourism Information Systems (TIS). Traditional software engineering and web engineering approaches cannot suffice, hence the need to find new product development approaches that would sufficiently enable the next generation of TIS. The next generation of TIS are expected among other things to: enable semantics-based information processing, exhibit natural language capabilities, facilitate inter-organization exchange of information in a seamless way, and evolve proactively in tandem with dynamic user requirements. In this paper, a product development approach called Product Line for Ontology-based Semantics-Aware Tourism Information Systems (PLOSATIS) which is a novel hybridization of software product line engineering, and Semantic Web engineering concepts is proposed. PLOSATIS is presented as potentially effective, predictable and amenable to software process improvement initiatives

Engineering Management Approach to Software Production Plan, based on the Principles of Software Product Lines

The concept of the software factory and discussions over its realization dates back more than three decades; however it is still only a vision for medium and large size Information Technology [IT] organizations on an earnest journey for software excellence. The principles and practices of Software Product Lines [SPL] can be a catalyst in realizing such a vision. SPL ensembles three elements namely, core asset development, product development, and management to run an efficient and consistent software factory. The core asset development is based on “Domain Engineering” and is fundamental to leveraging commonalties between software products & services developed. The product development encircles the core assets and provides the variability required in the product line. Finally, management acts as the strategic objective provider. Employing these principles of SPL, a software production plan can be devised with five essential practice areas such as Configuration Management; Data Collection, Metrics and Tracking; Process Definition; Technical Planning; and Tool Support. Configuration Management is a disciplined approach of evaluating, coordinating, approving or disapproving and finally implementing changes in the software artifacts. Data Collection, Metrics and Tracking enable the software factory to assure quality and seek continuous improvements. Process Definition ensures the software factory is scientific in its approach and delivers repeatable performance. Technical Planning chalks the roadmap of realizing the prophecy of reusability and fulfilling the software factory vision. Finally proper Tool Support ensures productivity, efficiency and consistent performance from all the stakeholders in the software factory