Experiences in incorporating human factors into the control centre design process

In June 2000 the Norwegian Petroleum Directorate (NPD) issued a draft method they would be using for evaluating human factors efforts in the design of offshore control centres. The method is based on the Final Draft International Standard ISO/FDIS 11064-1: Ergonomic Design of Control Centres - Part 1: Principles for the Design of Control Centres. Although the method is primarily a tool for the NPD to review human factors in the design process, it has been written to give designers a clear guidance on what they will be expected to provide, in terms of evidence and documentation of methods, to demonstrate that human factors has been properly considered in the design process. This paper outlines the method, and gives some examples of the author's experiences in carrying out human factors work to meet the requirements of the method. Although this method was developed specifically for the offshore oil environment, its principles and methods are equally applicable to any control room design project.