Innovators Editorial – Welcome to suppliers and innovators, May 2020

When the Digital Twin Hub launched two months ago we welcomed asset owners and operators as our first group of members. At the same time, we generated tremendous levels of interest from people who are developing digital twin technologies and providing a range of services to asset owners and operators.

We have been working hard to develop and test new Digital Twin Hub features which we hope will support the needs of this new group of members and continue to strengthen the delivery of Digital Twin Hub’s core objectives.

Welcoming our second group of members and releasing a new set of tailored features is a hugely satisfying milestone to have reached. Now the fun really starts as we look to you to share your views and discuss key topics that will collectively advance the creation of the National Digital Twin.

As the first editorial note for the supplier and innovator community, this note covers some of the features we have delivered and some of the lessons we have learnt.

Members forums

At its core the Digital Twin Hub is about connecting members and facilitating discussion that will shape the National Digital Twin Programme. Within the member forum area there is a range of forums that have been created, ranging from general discussion to strategic thinking and specific elements of the National Digital Twin programme. Within each forum there are discussion topics, and within each topic there is a discussion thread.

As members you are all actively encouraged to contribute to these discussions, share your views, your experience of what works (and doesn’t work), and anything you feel contributes to the community. You will see that members of the hub facilitation team will frequently kick off discussions with some relevant content. I would also like to encourage you to do the same, as members you can create discussion topics within any of the forums and use this as an opportunity to share content with the wider community.

We would also like to hear what other forums you would like to see within the members area. As the Digital Twin Hub continues to develop these will be actively shaped by our community.

Suppliers Register

With so many innovative solutions being developed to support the creation of digital twins we wanted to provide a space in the Digital Twin Hub dedicated to this. It is an opportunity for suppliers of digital twin solutions to showcase their capabilities, and an opportunity for asset owners to better understand what is available to enable their digital twin journey.

We have worked with both suppliers of digital twin solutions and those that are working on delivering digital twins within asset owning and operating organisations to understand how we might go about this task. The result, the Supplier Register, is aligned to elements of information value chain – first published in the Gemini Principles.

It is hoped that this common framework, orientated to the value generated by the creation and connection of Digital Twin, will be of benefit to all members of our community. If you supply digital twin solutions you are encouraged to submit an entry to the supplier register. These are intended to be one per supplier covering the range of solutions you provide.

As we continue to develop though our beta period, we would like to hear feedback on what would make the suppliers register even better.

Glossary

The glossary section of the Digital Twin Hub provides a direct connection between the community on the Digital Twin Hub and some of the work being delivered by the National Digital Twin Programme. A foundation to the creation and connection of digital twins is a common vocabulary and a shared understanding of meaning. To build consensus around this area of work the Glossary section is intentionally interactive. Some initial terms have been provided, all of which can be commented on by our members. Members can also submit new terms using the “suggest new term” button for other members to comment on.

More information on the glossary development work can be found in the digital twin talk titled “Twinfrastructure” delivered by Neil Thompson, the delivery lead for the National Digital Twin Commons.

Looking forward

As I mentioned toward the start of this editorial note, now the fun really starts. Please make full use of the Digital Twin Hub’s functionality; contribute your views to discussion, start new discussions yourself, share relevant content, use the supplier register, and contribute to the Glossary. Building a community platform is one thing, building a community is another thing entirely. By connecting, discussing, and sharing, we can collectively advance the National Digital Twin and the benefits for society and the natural environment that it will bring.

In the coming weeks there are a range of activities to continue to build this community including;

• Digital Twin Talks (Series 2) – Connecting or Connected Digital Twins?
• The National Digital Twin Pathway to the Information Management Framework Webinar
• Digital Twins – A Foundational Guide 

Welcome to the Digital Twin Hub,

Tom Hughes

Delivery Lead, DT Hub

29^th May 2020