The IT/OT Handbook - David Ariens and Willem van Lammeren

Coming October 2026

The IT/OT Handbook

By David Ariens & Willem van Lammeren · Published by IT Revolution Press · Paperback, Ebook or Audiobook · ISBN: 9781966280323 · Pages: 240

A practical guide to bridging IT and OT in manufacturing, process industry, and critical infrastructure.

Why this Book

After more than a decade of Industry 4.0, digital twins and AI, you might feel as if you’re lagging behind. But the truth is that most companies still don’t know how to scale beyond those first two flashy pilots, let alone bridging the gap between IT and OT.

We looked for a book that shows the full picture: how technology, organisational dynamics, cooperation patterns and the cultural challenges all link together, but we coudn’t find one. 

Two years ago, the two of us decided to write a book ourselves. A book rooted in the reality of the shopfloor, not on buzzwords and slides. 

The IT/OT Handbook is the result of two years of research, hundreds of conversations with practitioners, and everything we’ve learned across decades digitalizing chemicals, food & beverage, and critical infrastructure, distilled into the three-step framework we wish someone had given us when we started.

“This book is a wonderful and overdue handbook for all Industry 4.0 practitioners who have been trying to access the value that we all know remains to be unlocked!”

—Zev Arnold, Principal Director, Accenture 

The framework

Three steps: Understand, Cooperate, Scale.

Understand

Before we attempt to bridge the gap between IT and OT we first need to understand what exactly makes them different. We take a deep look at their differences, limitations and assumptions but also what it takes for both to be successful. This understanding will explain a lot of the problems we all encounter when digitalizing the shopfloor, but they also pave the way for the next step.

COOPERATE

Understanding alone won’t move the needle. But just telling people to cooperate also doesn’t. We present you with seven common IT/OT cooperation patterns — from ad-hoc pilot teams to enterprise-wide product organisations with their strengths and how to avoid common pitfalls. These patterns will change the way you talk about cooperation, transforming it from fluff to something tangible. You’ll use this vocabulary for years.

SCALE

True success in digitalization requires you to scale easily. This is where most companies get stuck, leaving pilot purgatory in their trail. You’ll learn how operational data is fundamentally different from IT data, how to build a platform that compounds value, why context is super important, how UNS fits in (and where it doesn’t), and finally, how to recognise — and surmount — the inevitable plateau.

Who is this book for

Written at the intersection of IT and OT

IT & OT Practitioners

Automation engineers, data scientists, plant IT managers, control-system specialists — the people implementing digital change on the shopfloor. You’ll get the frameworks to navigate the organisational mess that usually kills your technical work and the language to explain your problems to your management.

Consultants & Advisors

If you’re advising industrial clients on digital transformation, this book gives you the playbook. Cooperation patterns, data platform architecture, organisational maturity models — all grounded in manufacturing reality, not theory.   

Operational & Technology Leaders

Plant managers, CIOs, CTOs, heads of manufacturing excellence — the people who fund, sponsor, and scale initiatives. You’ll understand why pilots stall, how to avoid failure and how to make transformation stick.

Vendors & System Integrators

If you’re delivering technology into industrial environments you only get a partial view. This book will help you understand the context in which your solutions and customers operate. From recognizing the hidden factors that can make or break a project , to how you can unblock them by bridging IT and OT.

Pre-order your book today

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Barnes & Noble ships to most countries outside Europe

Bulk order our book

For vendors & event organisers

The perfect gift for your customers and events

Looking for something meaningful to give away at your next conference, user event, or end-of-year gift? Forget the branded USB sticks. Give your customers and prospects a book they’ll actually read — and that positions you as a company that understands the real challenges they face every day.

Bulk orders are available at reduced rates. And we’re not just authors sitting behind a desk — we’re happy to make it an experience:

    • Host a webinar for your customers around the book’s themes
    • Speak at your event or user conference
    • Run a live book signing session
    • Co-create a workshop combining our frameworks with your technology

Bulk orders available starting at 20 copies
Custom prints with your logo and custom page are also possible.

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