The Process

Our approach is holistic and works best with close participation from the project/client stakeholders as well as the end users. We will often begin an engagement with a workshop on human factors issues with a focus on control center design. We then work with your team to identify requirements by starting at the operator and working outward. This means beginning with requirements due to the operators’ duties at the console, including the number and type of console screens, alarm panels, ESD panels, etc. We then expand this to look at console sizing, adjacency requirements, pedestrian access and traffic flows within the control building, and so on. Eventually the process includes issues such as the placement of support facilities, equipment rooms, and the overall layout of the building. This process can of course be tailored to match the scope of the project. For existing control rooms with limited scope for change or expansion, a degree of creativity and iterative prioritization are often required. Once the design requirements have been finalized we can liaise with or even recommend trusted architects, and console hardware providers.

Factors in Control Center Design

Some of the factors considered in control center design include:

• User interfaces (graphics, panel alarms, communication devices, etc)
• Design of the operating console
• Arrangement of consoles within the control room
• Arrangement of supporting equipment, facilities, and people within and around the control room
• Information and communication links between the control room and other facilities and functions within the business
• Control room environment, including lighting and acoustics
• Design advanced visualizations for specialized monitoring needs.
• The knowledge, skills, and abilities of the users