1. An automated system of knowledge gathering for transforming product descriptions into process networks; the system comprising a data-processing apparatus; a non-transitory tangible computer-readable module stored in a computer memory executed by said data-processing apparatus, said module and said data-processing apparatus being operable in combination with one another to: select for product visualization a product description from a library of product descriptions; use a product visualizer o display the product defined by the selected product description; gather additional product information further defining a product type of the visualized product from a graphical user interface; and map the visualized product description and gathered additional product type information into a product type abstraction of a classification system for transforming product descriptions into process networks.