The Digital Twin: What and Why?

The progress of communications, processing, storing, and sensing capabilities is increasingly enabling the Digital Twin approach as a means towards digital transformation. Different vertical industries are more and more implementing solutions that are Digital Twins or are inspired to it. These implementations are demonstrating how to move from a physical world into higher and more convenient levels of softwarization. It is important to describe what is the Digital Twin and why it is important as a technological solutions and as a business enabler. This chapter introduces some of the current trends in the usage of the Digital Twin, and what actors should be interested in its applications. The usage of the Digital Twin requires a considerable technological platform and related skills for a succesful implementation and usage. As such, there are risks and best practices to consider in order to realize the expected benefits of this approach. The chapter offers a perspective view on how to build Digital Twin based solutions and what are the steps to bring the Digital Twin in the mainstream of many industries.