Welcome to the IT/OT Insider
Bridge the Gap between IT and OT
Who we are
David & Willem
We started this because we were frustrated. Frustrated that everyone talks about Industry 4.0 but nobody explains how to actually make it work. Frustrated that IT and OT keep building walls instead of bridges. So we decided to share what we’ve learned in chemicals, manufacturing, and critical infrastructure. The frameworks, the mistakes, the things that actually move the needle.
What we do
Four ways to become a real IT/OT Insider
Read & Listen
The Blog & Podcast
Over 100 articles on IT/OT cooperation, data platforms, UNS, Industrial AI, and scaling digital transformation. For free. We write about the frameworks, the language, what works and what doesn’t.
Subscribe for free →Also on Spotify · Apple · YouTube
Read ❤️
The IT/OT Handbook
The book we wish we had when we started. A practical guide to bridging IT and OT in manufacturing, process industry, and critical infrastructure. Published as paperback, ebook and audiobook.
Order Now →Coming October 2026
Learn
The IT/OT Academy
An 11 hour / 4-week live online course for IT and OT leaders who are done with pilot purgatory. Cooperation models, data platform architecture, UNS, governance — made the way we wished we were trained!
Save your seat →Scored 9/10. 100+ Students
Advisory
The IT/OT Compass
Sometimes reading isn’t enough. The decision is in front of you now, the deadline is real, and you’d rather not learn this one the expensive way: that’s when we come in. We help you pave the road to your next IT/OT, Data or AI project.
Learn More →Fresh from the blog
Latest articles
Can AI Run Your Plant?
Yes, if you believe the marketing. In this new video, we talk about what is actually possible today, and why “autonomous investigation” beats “autonomous control”.
David finally got his Oprah moment
We finally have video proof of David’s long-rehearsed Oprah moment on stage and the clearest 30 minutes yet on how we think about IT/OT cooperation.
What is… IT/OT Convergence (hint: more than technology)
IT/OT convergence isn’t a single technology problem: it’s two conversations, technical and organisational, that keep evolving.
Learn & Network in the IT/OT Academy
Built for those who are working at the intersection of IT and OT.
For practitioners working in industrial digitalization
“The IT/OT Academy is a great resource for people who are trying to solve problems and build solutions in the real world overlap between IT and OT organisations and technologies. Refreshingly free from buzzwords and vendor hype it is by practitioners and for practitioners.”
For technology vendors, integrators and consultants
“It was an incredible experience. Collaborating with engineers and automation experts on real-world challenges gave me fresh insights that directly shaped my recent talk on overcoming data silos and driving digital transformation. Big thanks for creating such a valuable space to learn and connect. Highly recommend!”
For new and experienced managers
“Stepping into a new role, the IT/OT Academy was a fantastic experience to quickly get into the subject and understand the complexities in this area. It covered both the technological, organisational and human aspects. The content was well-structured and practical. The wealth of experience from the instructors, guest speakers, and participants was impressive and provided a great learning opportunity!”
We welcomed 100 students in our 4 public groups and more than 200 in our private Academies from companies such as:
Explore
Start here
Our most read content, organised by theme. Each one is a rabbit hole worth going down.
The Industrial Data Platform
Why every data project starts from zero — and how platform thinking breaks that cycle. Our 6-part series and Capability Map.
The Unified Namespace Explained
It’s not a product. It’s not a protocol. It’s a design pattern — and it’s often misunderstood. We break it down.
Data Maturity Workshop Guide
A free moderation guide to run the one workshop that aligns IT, OT, and Operations on what matters. Templates included.
IT/OT Cooperation Models
Spoiler: forced convergence almost never works. Here’s what does — from silos to cross-functional teams.
DataOps Vendor Database
The vendor landscape mapped against our Capability Map. Updated regularly. No pay-to-play listings.
The IT/OT Academy
Explore our training options, both in public and private classes.