Design of distributed adaptive user interfaces using digital plant technology

Manufacturing application programs that use a virtual environment have, during the past years, become important tools for manufacturing engineers. This is due to the need for increased efficiency of the design phase and the need for reduction in the operation phase of manufacturing systems. Hence, these tools can be used both in the design phase and in the operation phase of the life cycle for a machine system. Nevertheless, there are still situations where this type of simulation system poorly, or not at all, supports the manufacturing engineer, e.g. in the design of user interfaces. A literature review on usability evaluation is used as a basis to present how digital plant technology may be utilised in the evaluation phase, when designing distributed adaptive user interfaces for manufacturing systems.