graham seeley, sydney trains - using cardboard and paper to optimise future control room design
DESCRIPTION
Graham Seeley, SEQR Human Factors Specialist, NSW Transport Sydney Trains delivered this presentation at the 2nd Annual Control Room Design & Operations Conference. This conference provided insights into streamlining operations, optimising efficiency & managing costs in your control room facilities, through effective design and operations. For more information, visit http://www.informa.com.au/controlroomdesign14TRANSCRIPT
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Using Cardboard and Paper to Optimise Future Control Room Design A Sydney Trains HF Case Study Graham Seeley
March 2014
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Overview • Case Study: The Infrastructure Control Centre
(ICON) project – A maintenance directorate incident response centre – Objectives and challenges
• Developing the Control Room design concept – Human Factors Integration; including design mock-up – Engaging end users – A new approach to shared overview displays – Demonstrating value-added through Human Factors
Integration (HFI)
• Lessons learnt for future projects
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“…a 1975 film directed by Edward Dmytryk”
“Something to do with chairs?” – ANON
But first; What is Human Factors?
Human Factors Integration
PeoplePhysical Size
CharacteristicsBackground
AttitudesValues
OrganisationLeadership
CultureWork Patterns
CommunicationTraining
JobDesign of Equipment
Rules and ProceduresTools
SignageEnvironment
• Primarily a combination of Psychology and Ergonomics
• Seeking to provide a good fit between people and systems
• A multidiscipline, scientific approach to the optimisation of human performance at work
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Background to this Case Study • Historically there were separate 24/7 maintenance
operations centres for different asset groups
• Limited visibility of each other’s operations, making incident coordination difficult
• Aim: to improve incident-response and fault-management: – A single point of contact – Improved customer and stakeholder management
– Efficient response, analysis and resolution times for complex inter-related faults
– Efficient management of field-resources
– Clear accountability and reporting
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Designing the Infrastructure Control Centre
• Challenges during project-delivery – Environment of wide-reaching Reforms – Short timescales – Different, isolated operational teams – Design trade-offs inevitable
• Infrastructure, Technology and Process impacts
• Most importantly, a People and Change project…
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Initial workshop issues captured
Open-plan noise and distraction
Management interruptions
Room layout Desk design
Inadequate Storage space
Lack of “defensible
space”
Error potential in critical-tasks
Communication flows
Workstation layouts
Network Overview displays
Environmental design Alarm-conflict
Accessibility and circulation Protocols Conflicting design
requirements
End-user concerns Human Factors issues
Resistance to change &
Acceptance-risk
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Conflicting Requirements
2
5
4
11. Large overview
display from existing facility
2. Raised platform
3. Tall desk partitions
4. Awkward circulation space
5. Standing-height workstations
3
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Creating a design mock-up • Mock-ups / prototypes can be used
iteratively, to give confidence in design
• Allow stakeholders to visualise a design – Low cost, high value – Intuitive reviews, unlike 2D designs – Identify issues and support integration – Optimise design prior to construction,
avoiding re-work
• Mock-up/ prototype detail should be commensurate with the risks or issues involved
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Benefits of the mock-up exercise
• Cardboard and tape - $400
• Two willing graduate interns
• 7 days to build a mock-up – Electrical Operations Centre – ICON workstations – Alternate Overview designs
• Managing project risks and optimising the design
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Building the mock-up
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Benefits of the mock-up exercise • The mock-up began
attracting attention
• Became a meeting point to resolve issues
• Trade-offs and conflicts were resolved
• Gradually began to establish user buy-in
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HF Requirements - Overview Displays
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An alternative Overview concept
…combined with a
suspended off-
workstation LCD
display concept A more usable LCD
overview, with screens
and information suited
to the room size…
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An alternative Overview concept
Off-workstation reference display; Safe and comfortable interaction; Optimising legibility and visual field.
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Change-management activities
• Integrated workshops/ meetings • Field trip to review similar facilities in
operation – Visit to Public Transport Authority,
BHP, and Rio Tinto in Perth – Short, medium and longer-term
recommendations – Further team building
• Stakeholder input to other HF and risk management activities
– Human Error Assessment workshops – Post-commissioning follow-up reviews
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Video
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Value added through HF Integration
• Confidence in design concepts
• Supporting delivery on schedule
• Improving operational efficiency, communication and team-working
• Assuring staff safety, health and wellbeing
• Whole-life technology cost savings ~ $200k
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Lessons learnt from this Case Study
• Early Integration of Human Factors – Most effective from the concept phase – Engaging stakeholders and managing requirements – Value-added for project and whole asset-lifecycle
• Post-commissioning issues – Managing degraded modes
• User-centred, rather than technology-centred
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