Focus on user needs

To us, designing the interface between man and machine means coordinating it with the needs and skills of people. This includes questions of ergonomics as well as topics covered by cognition research or in psychology. Only relevant information is to be displayed to the user. Control elements should be designed to match their skills and objectives.

Ergonomics of human-system interaction

An HMI will be accepted by its users if its operation appears logical and transparent. Our work focuses on one goal: operating and understanding systems in an efficient, effective and satisfactory manner. We work pursuant to the current DIN EN ISO 9241 standards on the ergonomics of human-system interaction, i.e. according to the principles of dialogue design (DIN EN ISO 9241/110) or according to the process for designing usable interactive systems (DIN EN ISO 9241/210).

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Interaction and User Experience

Well-designed interaction concepts offer users the added value of carrying out their work efficiently and of understanding the context of the processes intuitively. We attach great importance to developing an ideal navigation concept for each application, for instance. After all, navigation is the what guides user experience. Another important aspect is the visualisation of interactive elements and their states. This means that controls can be quickly identified and used. Interactions can also be supported with real-time visualisations and animations. This makes correlations particularly easy to understand.

Attentional Control

To facilitate an operator’s work, it is essential to channel the operator’s attention. In the production environment it is therefore important for us to clearly hierarchise error and fault messages and to present them in a suitable form and number. This clear identification can reduce the user’s cognitive workload.

Modularity

Modularity is an important design principle in the design of products, graphics and software. A modular and systematic design (design patterns) enables a software application to be implemented quickly and in a resource-saving manner. An example from the design of graphical user interfaces and an innovation made by CaderaDesign are modular machine images. They reduce costs in the project planning of systems.

User role management

For the operation of systems, the administration of users or user groups such as operator/factory worker/user, setter, administrator and service play a major role. The question as to how the login is to be carried out is also important: be it the traditional way using a password or via RFID chip cards, face recognition or fingerprint sensors. All of these questions need to be answered before usage scenarios and screens can be designed to meet the users’ tasks and requirements.

Control panels and other devices

The choice of suitable hardware is an important decision. How can the user interact with it, in what position and at what height can it be accessed? Should the operator be mobile or even have be able to work hands-free and what does this mean for the choice of devices? Do hardware buttons and emergency stop switches have to be integrated or are they integrated in the software? A number of questions need to be clarified in this context to ensure that operators and plant engineers are equally satisfied. After all, profitability or technological requirements also play a role.