ISA Launches ISA113 Committee to Standardize OT/IT Workflow Integration

ISA113 Initiative Aims to Bridge OT/IT Silos and Orchestrate Multi-Vendor Industrial Workflows

DURHAM, N.C. — March 2026 — The International Society of Automation (ISA) has officially launched a strategic initiative to solve one of the most persistent hurdles in digital transformation: the lack of interoperability between distributed workflow systems. The newly formed ISA113 Standard Committee is tasking industry experts with defining a vendor-neutral specification to integrate disparate workflow platforms across the industrial enterprise.

Currently, many organizations are burdened by "bespoke" integration projects—one-off, expensive coding efforts required to make different software systems talk to each other. ISA113 aims to eliminate this friction by decoupling workflow logic from the physical location of the work, enabling a foundation for true multi-system orchestration.

Bridging the Gap Between "Orchestration" and "Choreography"

A primary focus of the ISA113 committee will be harmonizing two distinct styles of process management that have traditionally lived in separate worlds:

• Orchestrated Workflows: Common in OT (Operational Technology) environments, these follow hierarchical procedures and phases (such as ISA-88 batch control). They are typically centralized and tightly controlled.

• Choreographed Workflows: Prevalent in IT (Information Technology) and business environments, these use BPMN (Business Process Model and Notation) or MES platforms. They are event-driven and distributed, allowing for more flexible coordination across departments.

As companies move toward "Industry 4.0," the need for these two styles to interact seamlessly—allowing a business event to trigger a factory floor action automatically—has become a mission-critical requirement.

Strategic Impact: A Foundation for Scalable Transformation

The move to create a vendor-neutral standard is expected to foster a more collaborative ecosystem among suppliers, integrators, and end users.

• Reducing Integration Risk: Standardized protocols mean fewer custom "glues" between systems, leading to more stable deployments.

• Improved Efficiency: By establishing action-based integration, teams can move away from manual hand-offs between OT and IT layers.

• Vendor Neutrality: A unified standard prevents "vendor lock-in," allowing industrial operators to choose the best software tools for their needs without worrying about integration roadblocks.

"The goal of initiating the ISA113 Standard Committee is to help bridge OT/IT workflow styles. This work has the potential to help organisations improve efficiency, reduce integration risk, and support more scalable digital transformation initiatives." — Steve Ferguson, Managing Director of Standards and Technical Activities, ISA.

FAQ.

What is the difference between "Orchestration" and "Choreography" in this context?

Think of Orchestration like a conductor leading a symphony—there is a central "brain" (like a PLC or Batch server) telling every component exactly when to play. Choreography is more like a dance troupe—each dancer knows their role and reacts to the movements of others or specific cues (events) without a single central controller micro-managing every step. ISA113 seeks to let these two "performances" work together.

Who should participate in the ISA113 committee?

ISA is looking for a broad spectrum of stakeholders, including:

• End Users from manufacturing, pharma, and energy sectors.

• Software Vendors specializing in MES, BPMN, and ERP.

• System Integrators who currently build bespoke workflow connections.

• Automation Suppliers focused on PLC/DCS logic.

How can I join the committee?

The American National Standards Institute (ANSI) published the official call for members on 20 March 2026. The window for expressions of interest remains open for 30 days following that date. Interested parties can contact [email protected] for more details.