Beyond Monitoring: Human-Centric Intelligence for Cultural Heritage Management

Advanced monitoring technologies provide increasingly detailed information about the condition of cultural heritage assets. However, their practical value depends on how effectively this information can be interpreted and used by heritage managers and authorities, who may lack specialised expertise in the underlying technologies. Moving beyond data collection and technical analysis towards accessible information and informed decision-making is therefore a key challenge in digital cultural heritage management. This work presents the ARGUS Intelligence Platform, developed within the Horizon Europe ARGUS project, as a human-centric digital environment designed to bridge the gap between advanced monitoring technologies and the needs of cultural heritage decision-makers. The platform integrates interactive 3D representations of monuments and their surrounding terrain with sensor observations, diagnostic results, Earth Observation products, expert knowledge, and integrated risk assessments. Rather than exposing users to fragmented technical outputs, ARGUS brings heterogeneous information together within a unified visual environment, supporting the exploration and interpretation of monument conditions and potential risks. Particular emphasis is placed on communicating risk assessments alongside the information, assumptions, and uncertainties underlying them, allowing users to examine how different sources contribute to the overall assessment without requiring detailed knowledge of the computational methods involved. By connecting monitoring data, analytical results, and expert knowledge with the practical information needs of heritage managers, ARGUS extends the role of digital twins beyond asset representation and monitoring towards human-centric decision support. The platform illustrates how advanced technological capabilities can be made more accessible to non-technical stakeholders, supporting informed judgement and the management and preservation of cultural heritage assets.