With more than 20 years of experience in the Control Room market, at Ergovisual we have worked in plenty of diverse project for these kind of installations. This grounding enables us to understand the importance of considering several key aspects in the development of Control Rooms.
A Definition for Control Rooms
The type of activity to be carried out in the installation will be decisive in our approach towards the project. However, there exist many more aspects to be taken in consideration for the Control Room configuration.
A general definition that can collect its general significance may refer to those critical installations with sensible information fluxes for quick decision-making processes under pressure scenarios.
Room Distribution
An accurate distribution of the room spaces must consider several aspects, ranging from the number of operators, the type of equipments and accessories to be integrated as well as lightning. Further to this, the type of activity to be carried out will be also important.
On the other side, it is important to identify the tasks and functions of each operator in the room, the degree of interaction between them, as well as the human-technology interaction.
All these aspects must be taken into account from a comprehensive approach with the purpose to reach the best possible distribution.
Decision-Making Processes
A common feature in Control Rooms refers to the fact these are spaces aimed at decision-making processes. Indeed, every sector will be dedicated to a specific professional activity, nevertheless each operator decisions will be affecting the activity operation.
In effect, taking decisions entail the risk of error. For this reason, the design of the Control Room, in its whole extension, must needs to favour the minimisation of human and technologic error in benefit of the activity. This concerns not only the operator, but also the technologic devices.
High Pressure Scenarios
In line with the above, consequences derived from decision-making can involve pressure scenarios.
In face of these situations, the Control Room design should consider an appropriate integration of equipment devices aimed at mitigating the pressure degree of operators. All this in regards to benefits that afford better emotional and physic conditions in decision-making.
Information Processing
A last notable aspect in this kind of installations concerns information and data processing. Permanently, operators receive the feedback of fluctuant information which needs to be quickly understood and processed.
Mostly, information and data is shared via monitor screens and displays located at working surface near operator or in common videowall schemes. Therefore, it will be crucial to know the type of information applicable for each operator according to its function and, eventually, improve information processing.
In conclusion, there are several and diverse aspects to be considered to achieve best possible working space.
