Constructing a Knowledge Management System for Traditional Craftsmen through Digitalization

Abstract. Since the enactment of the Cultural Heritage Preservation Act in 1982, Taiwan has witnessed a gradually increase in the number of designated and registered cultural heritage sites, and among them, architectural heritage is now facing a periodic restoration required approximately every 20 to 30 years. In response to the need, the number of officially certified traditional craftsmen, who are specialists legally qualified to perform heritage restorations, has increased from 572 in 2013 to 984 in recent years. However, this quantitative growth belies a more pressing concern: the dual challenges of an aging restoration workforce and the imminent loss of traditional techniques. Despite the critical role traditional craftsmen play in the maintenance and transmission of traditional techniques, there remains a conspicuous lack of systematic integration of their experiential knowledge. To address this deficiency, this study aims to establish a people-centered, data-driven knowledge management system specifically designed for traditional craftsmen engaged in the field of cultural heritage restoration. The methodology integrates document analysis, field surveys, semi-structured interviews, and relational database design with MySQL. 
The system records and organizes a wide array of information of traditional craftsmen, including their biographies, lineage of their techniques, techniques they have specialized in, projects they have participated in, and their learning trajectories. It establishes a searchable and expandable database that not only facilitates knowledge preservation but also promotes accessibility and traceability. This research incorporates the DIKW (Data–Information–Knowledge–Wisdom) framework, emphasizing that data is not merely a record-keeping instrument, but a critical substrate through which expert knowledge is translated, synthesized, and mobilized.