A project report submitted to the Faculty of Engineering, University of the Witwatersrand, in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Science in Engineering. Johannesburg 1995. / Advances in digital computing technology make it possible to improve the design of the Man Machine Interface (MMI), SCADA and ALARM modules used in electrical utility control centres. to overcome the problem of control staff data overloading. A possible solution is proposed, based on-an explicit representation of a disturbed power system state in addition to quiescent conditions. The structure of modem SCADA, installations is analysed in terms of the computing power of full graphic workstations, the quantities of element data delivered to the control room and the capabilities of intelligent remote terminal units. This analysis indicates that existing designs for the presentation of SCADA data need to change to solve the data overloading-problem. The proposed philosophy moves the focus of attention from the element level up to the device level by grouping and dividing all elements into categories at the RTU and linking them to their parent device, Control staff are notified graphically on the one-line displays, next to the device in question, of the existence of abnormal elements by category. The element state details for the device are only displayed on demand, resulting in a 95% reduction of alarm text messages. Suggestions are made as to the software functions needed at tbe RTU and the workstation to assist with the display of system data. Lastly racommendations are offered to reduce maintenance by standardising and pre-ordering device element data. / AC2017

Thesis (MTech (Design))--Cape Peninsula University of Technology, 2015. / Whether one is fascinated by the night sky as a child, or as a professional astronomer looking back to the beginning of time solving life’s big questions; at some point in our lives we have curiously looked up at the heavens above. The desire to explore the universe has lead us to constructing larger and more advanced telescopes, with the sole focus of observing deeper into the cosmos in an attempt to unravel its secrets. Like with most other technological advances, it has created advanced and technically complex control rooms. Based on a design ethnographic study this thesis will focus on the exploration of the effects of complex interfaces of a control room environment and its users, where one of the leading twenty first century telescopes of its kind, Southern Africa Largest Telescope (SALT), is studied. While the STS framework and policy debates concerning the rapid development and integration of complex human and non-human systems into larger systems become common practice. The design ethnographic study revealed that the operation of the SALT telescope and the research being conducted by the astronomers is clearly hindered by poor control room design. The study identified relationships between the framework and the empirical findings, which was used to frame a design pilot study to determine if further design intervention would have a positive impact on the interaction of a control room system. This project will consist of: a literature review, an ethnographic study and the analysis of the findings, design framing of a pilot study, a design pilot study, and an evaluation of the study. The results from the design pilot study clearly show that the application of a design intervention to a control room environment could potentially impact the space positively and reduced frustration, improve comfort, increased efficiency in the users work practices, and ultimately amplified productivity. Providing an appropriate starting point for the exploration of possible solutions for identified challenges experienced in complex control room environments, more importantly it contributed to narrowing the socio-technical gap, between the mechanical and research departments of a leading international optical telescope, SALT.

Industrial control systems (ICSs) are software systems that allow operators to remotely control entire industrial processes. This activity is usually performed within particular spaces located inside the facilities: control rooms. While the operators’ job is extremely important, it is often regarded as boring and dull; due to the passive nature of the job, the operators often feel unengaged. Industrial stakeholders are concerned about the next generation of operators, due to their different requirements regarding softwares and engagement. In fact, they would not be eager to work with the current ICSs. However, gamification — the design practice about using game design elements in contexts unrelated to games — has potential to contribute in addressing the problem. Implementing gamification within ICSs could make the future operators’ job more fun, appealing, and engaging, providing an overall better user- experience (UX). This research is a step towards achieving an effective gamification of ICSs; it consists of an exploratory study aimed to understand what gamification approaches are more suitable for the industrial context and the target user group. This research adopted an user-centred design approach, starting with extensive user studies on control rooms and the future operators; followed by a design and prototyping phase, and finally a user evaluation involving quantitative and qualitative investigations. This paper ultimately provides a series of design implications and insights for the design of gamified ICS.

Today’s industries are facing what some may call a new industrial revolution. Technological developments are heading towards more internet-based system solutions. This movement is often referred to as Industry 4.0 and is said to have the potential for more flexible, autonomous productions capable of managing themselves. With new technologies, however, there is also a demand for new competences and qualification requirements on the workforce. Furthermore, industries of today often have problems with recruiting new competent employees, especially younger people. Industries looking to implement Industry 4.0 would therefore have to manage the education and development of existing employees while also attracting new employees. As part of a larger research project at Luleå University of Technology, this thesis project aims to describe how the control rooms in Swedish metallurgic industries will be affected by Industry 4.0. Furthermore, the project aims to describe what changes that are desirable for achieving a sustainable, effective and equal industry. To better achieve this goal, the project was done in collaboration with the metallurgic industry SSAB, specifically the steel production in Luleå. Through visits, interviews and observations at the control rooms in SSAB’s steel production, the context of today’s control room work was detailed. This context was compared to and analyzed using reviewed literature regarding future technologies under Industry 4.0 along with my own speculations on future possibilities. The analyses consists of my reflections on what problems that existed, what could be improved and what worked well in the control rooms. Furthermore, my analyses included the positive and negative effects that the implementation of Industry 4.0 technologies could have on the control room work. The analyses were utilized as the basis for creating a vision of how control rooms can develop under Industry 4.0, and the changes that are desirable. The resulting vision compiled from my analyses consists of two scenarios; a dystopian and a utopian scenario. Each scenario depicts exaggerated depictions of the potential results of implementing Industry 4.0. The dystopian scenario depicts the few operators not made obsolete by an autonomous production and how they’ve been affected. They are constantly tracked and have their health monitored during their work, their equipment isn’t designed with the user in mind and the job no longer feels like qualified work. As a contrast, the utopian operators instead utilize the increased capabilities for communication and data gathering from systems and machines to work with tests, development work and optimization. Furthermore, instead of constant monitoring, tracking sensors are instead used to notify emergency personnel if the operator hurts themselves while out working. With these scenarios I also included recommendations for how the utopian vision can be achieved and the dystopian one avoided. These recommendations include involving operators in development of work tasks and instructions to promote employee involvement and control. Furthermore, their involvement allows for the better utilization of their knowledge and experiences, while also potentially helping with making the control room work better adapted to the operators’ needs. According to the results of this project, this will help improve and support efforts to create more attractive workplaces and promote qualifications development. By following the recommendations made, it is my hope that Swedish metallurgic industries like SSAB can better strive for an implementation of Industry 4.0 that is beneficial for both employer and employees. / Dagens industrier möter idag något som vissa kallar en ny industriell revolution. Inom teknikutvecklingen introduceras fler och fler internet-baserade systemlösningar. Denna utveckling namnges ofta som Industri 4.0 och ska kunna möjliggöra flexibla, autonoma produktionsflöden som kan drivas av sig själva. Med ny teknik kommer dock nya kunskapskrav och ett behov av nya kompetenser för arbetskraften. Vidare har dagens industrier ofta även problem med att rekrytera kompetent ny arbetskraft, speciellt bland yngre generationer. Industrier som vill implementera Industri 4.0 kommer därför att behöva hantera både kompetensutvecklingen och utbildningen av befintliga anställda, samt att attrahera nya anställda. Som en del av ett större forskningsprojekt på Luleå tekniska universitet ämnar detta examensprojekt att beskriva hur kontrollrummen i svenska metallindustrier kommer att påverkas av Industri 4.0. Vidare ämnar projektet att beskriva vilka förändringar som är önskvärda med målet att uppnå en hållbar, effektiv och jämställd industri. För att bättre uppnå detta mål utfördes projektet i samarbete med stålindustrin SSAB i Luleå. Genom besök, intervjuer och observationer i deras produktions kontrollrum kunde det nuvarande kontrollrumsarbetet undersökas. Besöken analyserades genom att använda kvalitetsgranskad litteratur om framtida teknik och system under Industri 4.0, samt genom mina egna spekulationer om framtiden. Vidare inkluderade mina analyser vilka positiva och negativa effekter Industri 4.0 kan ha på kontrollrumsarbete. Analyserna användes som en grund för att skapa en vision hur kontrollrumsarbete kan utvecklas under Industri 4.0 samt vilka utvecklingar som är önskvärda. Den resulterande visionen bestod av två scenarier; ett dystopiskt och ett utopiskt scenario. Varje scenario ger överdrivna beskrivningar av de potentiella följderna av en implementering av Industri 4.0. Det dystopiska scenariot beskriver det fåtal kvarvarande kontrollrumsoperatörerna som inte gjorts överflödiga av den autonoma produktionen och hur de påverkas. De spåras konstant i lokalen medan deras hälsa övervakas, samtidigt som deras utrustning inte anpassas efter deras behov och arbetet inte behöver någon vidare kompetens. Som kontrast till det använder den utopiske operatören de ökade möjligheterna för datainsamling från och kommunikation med system och maskiner för att arbeta mer med test, utvecklingsarbete och optimering. Vidare används spårningstekniken inte för konstant övervakning, utan meddelar istället akutpersonal om deras position och tillstånd om de skadar sig när de arbetar ute i lokalen. Med dessa två scenarier tog jag även upp rekommendationer för hur den utopiska visionen kan eftersträvas och den dystopiska undvikas. Rekommendationerna inkluderar att involvera operatörer i utvecklingen av nya arbetsuppgifter och instruktioner för att främja anställdas medverkan och kontroll över sitt arbete. Utöver det möjliggör deras medverkan att deras kunskap och erfarenheter utnyttjas och används, samtidigt som det potentiellt hjälper anpassa kontrollrumsarbetet bättre efter operatörernas behov. Det kommer att hjälpa förbättra och stödja arbetet med att skapa mer attraktiva arbetsplatser och främja kompetensutveckling. Genom att följa rekommendationerna hoppas jag att svenska metallindustrier som SSAB kan enklare arbeta mot en implementation av Industri 4.0 som är fördelaktig för både anställd och för företaget.

O projeto de espaços de trabalho exige, por parte do projetista, equacionar conflitos entre as diversas lógicas parciais dos vários usuários de um mesmo artefato. Compreender as relações estabelecidas entre os vários subsistemas que compõem a atividade de trabalho e dos ambientes leva, inevitavelmente, à necessidade de se desenvolver métodos de projeto que possam contemplar demandas inerentes a essa complexidade. Com efeito, poderíamos inferir que, na verdade, o que é preciso considerar na hora do projeto é a existência de uma interface entre o artefato de trabalho e o usuário. É o exercício pleno do uso dessa interface que permite aos usuários construírem sua experiência. Nessa experiência, encontramos os requisitos de projeto, e, para recuperá-la e fazer emergirem as necessidades do projeto, devemos lançar mão de métodos que se adéquem às condições atuais da prática projetual e às situações reais de uso dos artefatos. A evolução do artefato para instrumento resulta da associação dos artefatos com os esquemas de utilização dos seus usuários, reflexo da sua experiência. Metodologias como a Análise Ergonômica do Trabalho e a Avaliação Pós-Ocupação, apoiadas na Teoria da atividade, e por ela guiadas, podem ajudar na construção de uma reflexão consciente sobre a complexidade e as variáveis que surgem no uso dos ambientes de trabalho. O nosso grande labor no estudo de caso fundamenta-se no acompanhamento da atividade em curso, numa sala de controle de um sistema de Metrô. Durante as observações e levantamentos realizados, pudemos identificar a distância entre o projeto da sala e o trabalho real dos operadores e seus esquemas de utilização. O projeto tem sido reflexo de um processo de concepção que precisa ser incrementado, incorporando, definitivamente, características da atividade e a experiência dos usuários. / Design of work spaces demands from the designer solving conflicts which arise from the many partial logics of the various users of a same artifact. To understand the relations established between the many subsystems which make up the activity of work and its environment, leads inevitably to the need of developing design methods capable of dealing with the inherent demands of this complexity. Under this light, it is possible to infer that the existence of an interface between the work artifact and the user has to be considered when drafting a project. It is the very exercise of the use of this interface which allows users to construct their own experiences. Consequently, the design requirements are found within the experience itself, and, to recover it and impel the emergence of design\'s needs, one must forgo the methods which are linked to the current conditions of the accepted practices of design. The evolution from artifact to instrument results from the association of artifacts with the utilization schemes presented by users, a reflection of their own experiences. Methodologies, such as Ergonometric Analysis of Work and Post-Occupancy Evaluation, supported and guided by the Theory of activity, can help the construction of a conscientious reflection on both, complexity and variables which arise throughout the use of a work environment. The major work realized in this case study is based on the follow-up of in-progress activities within a subway\'s system control room. Observation and surveys carried out along this study identified a void between the design of the control room and the real work performed by the employees and their utilization schemes. Design should reflect a conception process which incorporates characteristics of both user activities and user experience.

O projeto de espaços de trabalho exige, por parte do projetista, equacionar conflitos entre as diversas lógicas parciais dos vários usuários de um mesmo artefato. Compreender as relações estabelecidas entre os vários subsistemas que compõem a atividade de trabalho e dos ambientes leva, inevitavelmente, à necessidade de se desenvolver métodos de projeto que possam contemplar demandas inerentes a essa complexidade. Com efeito, poderíamos inferir que, na verdade, o que é preciso considerar na hora do projeto é a existência de uma interface entre o artefato de trabalho e o usuário. É o exercício pleno do uso dessa interface que permite aos usuários construírem sua experiência. Nessa experiência, encontramos os requisitos de projeto, e, para recuperá-la e fazer emergirem as necessidades do projeto, devemos lançar mão de métodos que se adéquem às condições atuais da prática projetual e às situações reais de uso dos artefatos. A evolução do artefato para instrumento resulta da associação dos artefatos com os esquemas de utilização dos seus usuários, reflexo da sua experiência. Metodologias como a Análise Ergonômica do Trabalho e a Avaliação Pós-Ocupação, apoiadas na Teoria da atividade, e por ela guiadas, podem ajudar na construção de uma reflexão consciente sobre a complexidade e as variáveis que surgem no uso dos ambientes de trabalho. O nosso grande labor no estudo de caso fundamenta-se no acompanhamento da atividade em curso, numa sala de controle de um sistema de Metrô. Durante as observações e levantamentos realizados, pudemos identificar a distância entre o projeto da sala e o trabalho real dos operadores e seus esquemas de utilização. O projeto tem sido reflexo de um processo de concepção que precisa ser incrementado, incorporando, definitivamente, características da atividade e a experiência dos usuários. / Design of work spaces demands from the designer solving conflicts which arise from the many partial logics of the various users of a same artifact. To understand the relations established between the many subsystems which make up the activity of work and its environment, leads inevitably to the need of developing design methods capable of dealing with the inherent demands of this complexity. Under this light, it is possible to infer that the existence of an interface between the work artifact and the user has to be considered when drafting a project. It is the very exercise of the use of this interface which allows users to construct their own experiences. Consequently, the design requirements are found within the experience itself, and, to recover it and impel the emergence of design\'s needs, one must forgo the methods which are linked to the current conditions of the accepted practices of design. The evolution from artifact to instrument results from the association of artifacts with the utilization schemes presented by users, a reflection of their own experiences. Methodologies, such as Ergonometric Analysis of Work and Post-Occupancy Evaluation, supported and guided by the Theory of activity, can help the construction of a conscientious reflection on both, complexity and variables which arise throughout the use of a work environment. The major work realized in this case study is based on the follow-up of in-progress activities within a subway\'s system control room. Observation and surveys carried out along this study identified a void between the design of the control room and the real work performed by the employees and their utilization schemes. Design should reflect a conception process which incorporates characteristics of both user activities and user experience.

In this thesis, a particular class of agent is singled out for examination. In order to provide a guiding metaphor, we speak of control room agents. Our focus is on rational decision- making by such agents, where the circumstances obtaining are such that rationality is bounded. Control room agents, whether human or non-human, need to reason and act in a changing environment with only limited information available to them. Determining the current state of the environment is a central concern for control room agents if they are to reason and act sensibly. A control room agent cannot plan its actions without having an internal representation (epistemic state) of its environment, and cannot make rational decisions unless this representation, to some level of accuracy, reflects the state of its environment. The focus of this thesis is on three aspects regarding the epistemic functioning of a control room agent: 1. How should the epistemic state of a control room agent be represented in order to facilitate logical analysis? 2. How should a control room agent change its epistemic state upon receiving new information? 3. How should a control room agent combine available information from different sources? In describing the class of control room agents as first-order intentional systems hav- ing both informational and motivational attitudes, an agent-oriented view is adopted. The central construct used in the information-theoretic approach, which is qualitative in nature, is the concept of a templated ordering. Representing the epistemic state of a control room agent by a (special form of) tem- plated ordering signals a departure from the many approaches in which only the beliefs of an agent are represented. Templated orderings allow for the representation of both knowledge and belief. A control room agent changes its epistemic state according to a proposed epistemic change algorithm, which allows the agent to select between two well-established forms of belief change operations, namely, belief revision and belief update. The combination of (possibly conflicting) information from different sources has re- ceived a lot of attention in recent years. Using templated orderings for the semantic representation of information, a new family of purely qualitative merging operations is developed. / School of Computing / Ph. D. (Computer Science)

In this thesis, a particular class of agent is singled out for examination. In order to provide a guiding metaphor, we speak of control room agents. Our focus is on rational decision- making by such agents, where the circumstances obtaining are such that rationality is bounded. Control room agents, whether human or non-human, need to reason and act in a changing environment with only limited information available to them. Determining the current state of the environment is a central concern for control room agents if they are to reason and act sensibly. A control room agent cannot plan its actions without having an internal representation (epistemic state) of its environment, and cannot make rational decisions unless this representation, to some level of accuracy, reflects the state of its environment. The focus of this thesis is on three aspects regarding the epistemic functioning of a control room agent: 1. How should the epistemic state of a control room agent be represented in order to facilitate logical analysis? 2. How should a control room agent change its epistemic state upon receiving new information? 3. How should a control room agent combine available information from different sources? In describing the class of control room agents as first-order intentional systems hav- ing both informational and motivational attitudes, an agent-oriented view is adopted. The central construct used in the information-theoretic approach, which is qualitative in nature, is the concept of a templated ordering. Representing the epistemic state of a control room agent by a (special form of) tem- plated ordering signals a departure from the many approaches in which only the beliefs of an agent are represented. Templated orderings allow for the representation of both knowledge and belief. A control room agent changes its epistemic state according to a proposed epistemic change algorithm, which allows the agent to select between two well-established forms of belief change operations, namely, belief revision and belief update. The combination of (possibly conflicting) information from different sources has re- ceived a lot of attention in recent years. Using templated orderings for the semantic representation of information, a new family of purely qualitative merging operations is developed. / School of Computing / Ph. D. (Computer Science)