An academic–industry team present the results of research conducted into the current benefits being derived from the use of digital twins across the entire life cycle of an asset. The team reviewed the benefits being derived by the asset-management community, as it is through this that through life productivity and effectiveness benefits will be realised. The team conducted a review of relevant literature, surveyed 122 practitioners and worked with their industry partner and a UK professional body to validate their conclusions. Specifically, (a) the authors examined the current application of digital twins in three industry sectors: process industries, infrastructure (civil engineering) and manufacturing. (b) The authors grouped the data according to role types – namely, professionals working predominantly in design and build and professionals in the operation and maintenance part of the life cycle. As regards the sector results, the responses were found to be contradictory. When controlling by role type, the results are more cohesive. Individuals involved in the operation and maintenance stages consistently indicated that digital twins are not delivering on their promise. The authors present a series of problem statements to define the current state, together with some managerial recommendations, and the authors propose further work to establish detailed guidance for infrastructure sector projects.

Complex projects and megaprojects are increasingly shaped by new enabling technologies and new demands from businesses, including how people are treated when working on these endeavours. This is often referred to as the Fourth Industrial Revolution (4IR). Project leaders and practitioners are not fully leveraging the opportunities unlocked by the 4IR, and project performance shows little sign of improvement despite the highly innovative and collaborative environment that the 4IR stimulates. This paper discusses this challenge and concludes that a significant reason why these benefits are not being realised is because there is a competence gap in both the project leader and practitioner communities. These communities are attempting to deal with twenty-first-century issues using competences, toolsets and a mindset created 100 years ago. Significant developments in competences associated with the 4IR in general are required. In this paper, specific competences are proposed and justified: collaborative working including people, process and digital components; lean six sigma; and agile. Success will be to empower the people who deliver megaprojects such that they are able to deliver the planned social value to all stakeholders involved.