Cognitive Mimetics for Designing Intelligent Industrial Systems: Case Next-Generation Diary

A key problem with intelligent industrial processes is that the relevant systems, such as digital twins or cyber–physical systems, require knowledge to perform their operations. Currently, much of that knowledge is in the human domain; it is largely tacit and shared informally. Here, we sketch out an idea for an intelligent industrial diary, building on the concepts of cognitive mimetics and human digital twins and focusing on ontology-related aspects of the system. We ask how human knowledge and knowledge of humans can be captured and operationalized to provide the necessary currency and basis for intelligent technology and its design. Our idea is derived from empirical research on the concept of a “next-generation diary” for pulp mills. The broader idea is that intelligent industrial diaries could become a key focal point for accumulating the knowledge needed for intelligent technology, thereby embodying the main ideas in cognitive mimetics.