A Methodology for Building Knowledge Memory Within the Handicraft Sector

Abstract

The Moroccan handicraft is threatened by the loss of its knowledge and several authorities are calling to safeguard this cultural heritage through a detailed transcription and development of an interactive multimedia system. In response to this call, this article represents a first step in addressing this need. It provided a basic methodology for building a craft memory which will be considered as a benchmark for handicraft knowledge preservation. The study focuses on identifying the most critical and vulnerable know-how and modelling the knowledge which needs to be retained. To do so, a methodological framework is proposed and validated through a case study on the Moroccan zellige craft. The methods used here are derived from the world of Knowledge Management (KM) and Knowledge Engineering (KE); in particular, MASK method, GAMETH and M3C. Nevertheless, their systematic application is not perfectly adapted, it needs to be in accordance to the craft characteristics and the artisan's profile which is the key point of the current study.