A Model based Visualization Framework for Cross Discipline Collaboration in Industry 4.0 Scenarios

The Industry 4.0 initiative fosters close collaboration between various disciplines in product development. Collaborative aspects are addressed by several research activities, namely Systems Engineering and more precisely by Model Based Systems Engineering. This work contributes a new method for interdisciplinary communication by an integrated visualization of conceptual models. The method describes an environment for direct communication between experts in related disciplines. Common application scenarios are business process management workshops in which process experts have to achieve commitment with experts from other disciplines like computer science, logistics or engineering. Especially in Industry 4.0 scenarios, mutual understanding between experts from several domains is crucial for a successful process setup, planning and preparation of production scenarios. The method comprises a theoretical framework for establishing inter-model relationships and their visualization. For establishing links between models, an ontology based approach is applied. The Bunge-Wand-Weber Ontology for information systems provides a generic and yet applicable basis for establishing consistent inter-model relationships. For supporting communication processes the integrated models should be displayed. To provide an understandable visualization a three-dimensional environment is proposed, in which the linked models are arranged and displayed. The scientific basis is given by applying the concept of visual variables described in the scientific discipline of information visualization. The depth of space extends the set of visual variables. Applied to the semantic concept of integrated models a discriminable visualization of integrated models is achieved. (C) 2016 Published by Elsevier B.V.