What We Do

Our work is united by the goal of enabling your front-line operators to perform at their best. We focus on two major leverage points in increasing operator effectiveness: the design of the human-machine interface (HMI) for the control system, and the physical design of the workplace, including everything from the layout of the control building to the design of the operator consoles.

We appreciate that every project presents unique challenges and opportunities, so we strive to be flexible and adaptive in our offerings. While guidelines and standards are important, we have the real world experience to bridge the gap between general best practices and the specific circumstances at your facility.

Approach

Acuitē’s goal is to offer clients all of the resources and expertise required to smoothly navigate the process of integrating human performance considerations into an HMI or control building project, from start to finish.

We take partnership seriously. We understand that having your team closely engaged in the design process leads to better design decisions and a more sustainable long-term solution. We take the time to educate your team and actively seek opportunities to leverage your in-house expertise. We seek to leave our clients prepared to evaluate and maintain the solution as circumstances change over time.

Measure twice, cut once. Post-implementation changes are costly and time-consuming, so our process is focused on getting the solution right before implementation begins. We employ a front-loaded, iterative approach using a range of methods including low and high-fidelity prototyping to provoke feedback and discussion. This allows us to identify and address problems and opportunities early in the process and to generate a robust solution that you can have confidence in.

We see projects through. When design and implementation are disconnected, we know that it is all too easy for the original intent to be lost or misinterpreted. Whenever possible we work directly with implementers to ensure that the integrity of designs is maintained. When problems arise we work with the client and the implementation team to generate alternatives that respect the original design goals.

Expertise

Acuitē has been providing Human Factors Engineering (HFE) solutions to process industry clients for over a decade. Our backgrounds ranging from Nuclear Power to NASA Space Operations, together with advanced knowledge of HFE and proven skills and experience from numerous successful HMI and control building projects for process industry clients worldwide.

Human Factors Engineering. HFE is concerned with applying scientific knowledge about human performance to create a better fit between people and technology. Leveraging knowledge about how the design of tools and workplaces impacts the demands on operators’ attention, memory, and decision-making is at the core of what we do.

Process Control. Acuitē has spent over a decade focused on operator performance exclusively in the process industries. Our people’s strong technical backgrounds together with this depth of experience allows us to quickly integrate with your project team and provide value to the project.

Design. Our proven record of creativity and innovation is a result of a disciplined approach to understanding problems together with a passion for new ideas. From objectives analyses to collaborative prototyping to formal simulator-based testing, we have the skills needed to both create and evaluate designs in ways that are responsive to your needs.

Technology. The most challenging part of many projects is coordinating design and implementation. At Acuitē we understand the limitations and capabilities of modern and legacy control system technology, and work closely with systems integrators and engineering support teams on many of our projects. Our work balances innovation with the need to respect technical constraints and the requirements for successful implementation.