A graph theory approach for data lineage in complex information systems using a technology, organization,and people integrated model in nuclear plants

Abstract

In the nuclear sector, the implementation of digital technologies plays a crucial role in optimizing the performance of installations throughout their entire lifecycle. It contributes to the timely and cost-effective delivery of all phases of the life cycle, including design, procurement, construction, commissioning, and operation, as well as facilitating the transition between these phases. The intricacy of nuclear projects and their digital transformation faces significant challenges related to the large and diverse supply chain lifecycle, which includes entities of varying sizes, durations, and maturity. This increases the complexity of information systems, which often results in fragmented data exchanges and the formation of silos, thereby creating loopholes in information exchanges and negatively impacting project delivery performance.The exponential growth of Complex Information Systems (CIS) has resulted in significant challenges in data management, data governance, and digitalized human-centered activities. To address this complexity and guarantee the lifecycle of these CIS, the emergence of the concept of data lineage—defined as the flowchart of all data manipulations—is a promising approach, for a large array of applications such as maintenance. However, CIS often consist of diverse elements communicating through various protocols and tools, which presents a considerable challenge for accurately modeling these interactions using traditional methods. The present study proposes a methodology based on graph theory for the analysis of data lineage. Moreover, the methodology incorporates the concept of Human System Integration (HSI), which is represented through the TOP (Technology, Organization, and People) model, with the objective of modeling the diverse interrelationships between CIS components. In this study, a maintenance chain of value was selected as a key use case of a real-world CIS system from the nuclear sector. The data flow begins at the stage of design of new components in nuclear power plants and continues through to the deployment of equipment that is active, operational and maintainable within the power plant units. This method permits the visual representation of data flow within the complex information system, thereby facilitating a more suitable data management and a comprehensive understanding of the interaction between its elements.

Keywords: 'Graph theory', 'data lineage', TOP, HSI, 'nuclear plant', 'Complex information system', equipment, maintenance, lifecycle, 'digital transformation'

DOI: 10.54941/ahfe1005832