Digital twins are changing how organisations make decisions about complex systems and critical infrastructure. But their value doesn’t come from visualisation alone. The most effective digital twins turn data into insight that leaders can act on with confidence.
Through our work on the National Digital Twin Programme, we see first-hand what separates digital twins that genuinely improve decision-making from those that simply look impressive.
The decision-making challenge
Traditional, hindsight-based planning no longer works. Systems are more interconnected, demand shifts faster, and the cost of poor decisions is higher. Most organisations already have vast amounts of data, but struggle to use it to understand what will happen next.
Digital twins address this gap by enabling organisations to model change before it happens, revealing consequences, risks and opportunities across complex environments.
What makes a digital twin valuable
A digital twin is a virtual representation of a physical asset, process or system that remains connected to its real-world counterpart. That connection creates a continuous feedback loop, where insights from the digital environment inform decisions in the physical one.
Some digital twins operate in real time, reflecting current conditions. Others are designed for longer-term modelling and scenario planning. Both have value, provided they support clear decision-making outcomes.
The foundations that enable better decisions
High-value digital twins rely on strong technical foundations. This starts with reliable data integration across sensors, operational systems and enterprise platforms. Continuous data flow keeps the digital twin aligned with reality.
Cloud infrastructure provides the scale and flexibility required to process this data and run simulations efficiently. On top of this sits the analytical layer: predictive models and scenario testing that allow organisations to explore outcomes before taking action.
The shift is from reactive management to predictive insight. Rather than responding to failure, digital twins help organisations anticipate issues and optimise performance ahead of time.
From data to action
Digital twins improve decisions by strengthening three stages of the information chain.
First, data must be accurate, timely and interoperable. Without this, the twin loses credibility.
Second, sense-making turns raw data into insight through analytics, modelling and visualisation. This enables leaders to understand not just what is happening, but what is likely to happen next.
Finally, decision-taking becomes more confident and consistent. Tested scenarios allow organisations to allocate resources effectively, adjust operations proactively and plan long-term change with greater certainty.
Connecting twins across systems
The real step change comes when digital twins can share information securely across systems and sectors. Infrastructure does not operate in isolation. Energy, transport, water and the built environment influence one another.
Our work on the National Digital Twin Programme focuses on the information architecture that enables this connectivity. The goal is not a single model of the UK, but an ecosystem where digital twins interact safely through open standards.
This approach prioritises security, scalability and interoperability, allowing organisations to collaborate without locking themselves into proprietary platforms.
From theory to practice
In practice, digital twins support a wide range of decisions. Operational teams can test changes without disrupting live services. Strategic leaders can model long-term demand, resilience and investment scenarios. Sustainability teams can assess environmental impact and track progress against ESG goals.
In each case, value comes from reducing uncertainty and making outcomes visible before decisions are implemented.
Answer Digital’s role
We are designing and delivering the technical services that underpin the National Digital Twin Programme’s information architecture. This includes secure data sharing, advanced analytics through the development of an Open Source data catalogue, and scalable platforms built on open standards.
By enabling digital twins to connect and evolve, the programme supports more coordinated decision-making across the UK’s critical infrastructure.
What this means for organisations
The most effective digital twins start with a clear decision-making need. They are built to solve specific problems, integrate with existing systems and evolve over time.
Organisations should focus on data quality, interoperability and security from the outset, proving value in targeted areas before expanding scope. Digital twins that align with wider ecosystems deliver greater long-term impact than isolated solutions.
Looking ahead
Digital twin technology will continue to advance, particularly through the integration of AI, improved analytics and more responsive architectures. But the core principle remains the same.
The most valuable digital twins improve decision-making by turning data into insight, insight into action, and action into better outcomes.
Through our work on the National Digital Twin Programme, we are helping to build the foundations for that capability at scale.
If you’re exploring how digital twins could improve decision-making in your organisation, we’d welcome the conversation.