To implement a material-specific data space, the NFDI-MatWerk aims to reduce technological barriers in MSE by developing generic software tools and an overarching data and information infrastructure that will enable individual scientists to:

• Contribute to a comprehensive digital representation of materials and material classes by efficiently sharing and accessing raw material data and metadata based on FAIR principles (see below);
• Share tools and modularized workflows simultaneously for experimental, theoretical, and data-driven materials science;
• Contribute to the development and integration of a unified materials ontology that enables flexible and seamless interoperability between heterogeneous materials data, analysis tools, and materials models at the different length and time scales characteristic of materials;
• Establish a straightforward implementation of "private" materials ontologies for "homegrown" tools and digital workflows, supported by tight versioning control and the ability to propose these "private" ontology branches to partners and the larger community;
• Quickly establish local data spaces with built-in data sovereignty (e.g., rights management) and secure authorship (e.g., through cryptography and certification of workflows and data);
• Execute easy development of custom digital workflows for experimental and simulation environments based on seamless integration of available and in-house tools;
• Set up straightforward data exchange across institutions and disciplines for collaborative projects;
• Use sophisticated visualization tools as well as analysis tools for material data;
• Easily set up advanced data analysis methods and integrate machine learning into individual workflows to create digital material representations;
• Quickly receive online training on the latest tools and methods to stay current;
• Get information and best practices in one place, e.g., to integrate existing data into your own structured materials database
• To find information and course materials to help with onboarding new students and researchers and implementing them into lectures;
• To find material-specific solutions via an active MSE online community and to establish new collaborations.