We understand that there are a lot of design elements that go into a control room video wall installation, but none are more important than planning for the optimum presentation of content and organization of that information. Your focus should be on the purpose of the control room, and how the installation effectively facilitates information transfer in order to mitigate risks in decision making.
Once you understand the decision-making objectives of the video wall, the second step is displaying that information on a video wall in an organized manner so that the operator can efficiently use and interpret it. It is essential that the operator has immediate access to all of the required information needed to quickly assess a situation, maximize situational awareness and take the appropriate action. The platform used for organizing the information must be simple to add, move, resize and remove content regardless of visual technology offered in the video wall. The operator needs to be able to zoom and position any content as needed, utilizing the full resolution of each screen and maintaining full control over all data sources. Visualization on high resolution video walls provides a comprehensive overview of information needed to identify problems and to optimize processes to enhance decision making.
The control room is all about creating an environment that facilitates an increase in situational awareness while utilizing visualization tools that transfer information to a common operating picture (video wall) and/or the operator. This is where daily decision-making affects corporate goals and returns on plant assets. Content, organizing and manipulating the information, and optimizing the control room design are important aspects of a successful operation.
Whether you need to remodel and optimize your current control room, consolidate operations or build a new control room, there are new standards to assist in design. Early control rooms were historically crowded and disorganized. Today, we have a set of standard guidelines published by the International Organization for Standardization. In particular, ISO 11064 lists the standards for ergonomics in the design of control centers, as well as the layout and dimensions of workstations for maximum efficiency. The standard is divided into seven key parts:
- Principles for Design of Control Centers – as a human centered approach, the design begins with the operator.
- Principles for Arrangement of Control Suites – square footages are determined, adjacent areas pre-determined, and the space is laid out to facilitate all activities.
- Control Room Layout – ergonomic principles are applied to layout and maintenance.
- Layout and Dimensions of Workstations – needs of the operator will determine the overall dimensions of visual-display-based workstation.
- Displays and Controls – maximize safety, reliability, efficiency and comfort for the human operator interface.
- Environmental Requirements for Control Centers – lighting, acoustics, temperature, humidity and vibration all are key factors that play into operator awareness.
- Principles for Evaluating Control Centers – lessons learned and documented for making future improvements.
You can learn more about ISO 11064 and how the standards can assist in establishing a design that achieves maximum control efficiency with this link: https://www.iso.org/obp/ui/#iso:std:iso:11064:-4:ed-2:v1:en
We know control rooms. They are invaluable assets that enable individuals or groups to view large amounts of information through an organized and centralized platform. If you are refreshing or installing a video wall for the first time, you will want a video wall solution that is simple to navigate and features an ultra high-resolution display system with scalable size that can support a combination of still images up to 1GB, HD videos, HD streaming content and PC applications. Hiperwall can assist you in determining your needs and specifying a video wall for your control room. We also offer solutions for digital signage, trading floors, education and the presentation of high-resolution images in science, medicine or urban and rural planning. Give us a call, we are here to help.