Successful IT-OT convergence as a lever for future business.

We have already achieved a great deal in the digitalization of industry at 西门子 , which I am particularly pleased about as CIO of Siemens. Siemens has set out to drive digital transformation for industry, infrastructures (buildings & energy), mobility and healthcare of its customers, and to this end it is connecting the real and digital worlds in a unique way using state-of-the-art technological solutions. With our IT-OT convergence process, we are thus making the Digital Factory, smart infrastructures and innovative mobility solutions possible.?

IT-OT convergence means connecting the real world of automation with the digital world of information technology - as seamlessly and fully as possible. By breaking down their information silos in these two worlds and making sense of their data together in the future, companies have a great opportunity to significantly increase their performance, productivity and flexibility and to work in a much more sustainable way.?

In a white paper for Siemens, Forrester noted that the manufacturing industry in particular, with its machines and plants, is under great pressure to transform in this regard. Whereas the development and manufacturing of physical products has been the focus up to now, in the future it will also be necessary for them to provide a more complex business model in which digital services now supplement, enrich and expand the physical products and real processes. Ultimately, this also has consequences for those who accompany this development on the technological side: IT. Many companies are not yet fully aware of the fact that their IT should also prepare itself to operate in both worlds.??

Forrester recommended that industrial companies should act much faster and adapt to changing customer requirements if they want to stay ahead. Successful digital transformation is the key to the future - and that includes successful integration of information and operations technology (IT and OT). However, according to Forrester, both should be successfully integrated not only at the technical level, but also in their processes, procedures and cultures.??

Our company has undergone three transformation processes to become the technology group for industry it is today first the transformation from hardware to software manufacturer, then, from single-license to cloud and SaaS provider – and finally, the transformation to a universal solution provider ?for industrial, infrastructure and mobility digitalization and automation ?with connected systems, platforms and ecosystems and with solutions and services to address today’s sustainability and efficiency challenges.

As a result, we at Siemens IT are no longer just active in classic areas such as office and process IT, but now also in product and production IT. We have set ourselves the goal of successfully integrating Siemens products and solutions with each other, operating, and scaling them, and managing everything holistically according to proven IT standards. Successful IT-OT convergence is an essential part of the Siemens business model and the Industrial Internet of Things. Consequently, our IT is also in the role of a "customer zero" for other corporate ITs in this field.??

Examples of successful scaling at the product and production level are our digital twin and the Siemens Xcelerator. With the digital twin, we can virtually map complex physical products and systems. On this virtual basis, adjustments and optimizations can be simulated and tested before they are applied to the real object. This enables faster and more cost-efficient optimization of processes and products. The Siemens Xcelerator ist the open digital ecosystem for this. It encompasses a range of curated technologies and platforms, including Industrial Edge, Mindsphere, Mendix and much more on board. By integrating such technologies into our offering, we can accelerate our customers' transformation processes and enable seamless integration of product and production technologies.?? ?

However, scaling our solutions at the product and production level is only one piece of the puzzle. As mentioned, it is also important to integrate people and cultures from both worlds well. At Siemens, we recognize that this also requires a mindset shift. We are committed to fostering a Growth Mindset and implementing a comprehensive training program to ensure that our employees are up to date with the latest technology and can support our customers in the best possible way.?

Our vision is to pave the way for the entire industry to a digital future with many more opportunities. We are convinced that we can "crack the code" here, as our CEO Roland Busch calls it. IT-OT convergence is the premise. Only when the data from both worlds can flow together smoothly can these future opportunities be tapped into.?