The document discusses best practices for human-machine interfaces (HMIs) in process and manufacturing industries. It covers topics such as moving from simply displaying data to presenting information contextually, using trends and indicators to make plant key performance easy to understand at a glance, and following standards to design HMIs that help operators effectively handle abnormal situations. The presentation provides examples of both poor and effective HMI designs.

1. Tomorrow’s Automation, Today
A Symposium on Virtualization For the Process &
Manufacturing Industries

2. TR02: HMI Best Practices
Presenter(s):
Mr. Ali Omer
(Technical Project Manager )
2

3. HMI Best
Practices
Agenda
The HMI of the Past Common HMI Depictions
Path towards HMI Best Practices
Simple Data Vs. Information
HMI Vs. P&IDs
Importance of Trends
ASM Standards and Guidelines
Examples from a recent Project
3

4. 1
 Provided the “Big Picture”
 Limited Capability
 Many Process Trends
 Status “at-a-glance”
AlarmsEquipment
Status
Process
Values
Human
Perception
The HMI of the
Past

5.  The “Keyhole View”
 High Contrast Screen
 Difficult to ascertain
Plant KPIs
 Contributed to over-
alarming
 Lost “the Big Picture”
The DCS
Arrives
5

6. 6
DCS Graphics
Introduced – But
No Guidelines!
 High Contrast Screen
 Poor Graphics
Encourage Poor
Operating Practices
 Too Many distracting
colours!!

7.  Common, but ineffective
process depictions!
 Numbers sprinkled on a
screen without any
philosophy
 Inconsistent, improper use of
color
 No trends
 No condition information
Common HMI
Depictions
7

8.  Only 10% of the screen is
used to show Poorly
Presented numeric data
 90% is a just a “pretty
picture”
 “Improved” Graphic
Capability yields even worse
practices.
And Even Worse
Vendor Examples…
8

9. Other Industries
Do It Better
Although there is a lot of Data and
Information crammed into a small
space BUT everything is standardized
so the pilots don’t have to search for
the required Information
Speed
Altitude
Position
Course
Fuel Remaining
Proximity to Ground & Proximity to Rising
Terrain
Nearby Airports
GARMIN ®1000 Avionics System
9

10.  No Overview
 No trends
 No material balance (FLOW
IN and FLOW OUT are on
different graphics)
 Inconsistent colors and
alarms
 No condition indication
 Essentially just a P&ID
segment sprinkled with live
values.
Another Bad
Example
Texas City BP HMI
10

11. Blood Tests for Fluffy -1
Test Results
HCT 31.7%
HGB 10.2 g/dl
MCHC 32.2 6/dl
WBC 9.2 x109 /L
GRANS 6.5 x109 /L
L/M 2.7 x109 /L
PLT 310 x109 /L
Answer: Unless you
are vet, how can
you know?
Data is Not
Information:
Is Fluffy Sick?
11

12. After awhile, you might
figure it out…
Blood Tests for Fluffy -2
Test Results Range
HCT 31.7% 24.0 – 45.0
HGB 10.2 g/dl 8.0 – 15.0
MCHC 32.2 6/dl 30.0 - 36.9
WBC 9.2 x109 /L 5.0 – 18.9
GRANS 6.5 x109 /L 2.5 – 12.5
L/M 2.7 x109 /L 1.5 – 7.8
PLT 310 x109 /L 175 - 500
What About Now?
12

13. ABNORMAL VALUES
can be seen at a
glance.
Blood Tests for Fluffy -3
Test Results Range
Indicator
Low – Normal - High
HCT 31.7% 24.0 – 45.0
HGB 10.2gdl 8.0 – 15.0
MCHC 32.26dl 30.0 - 36.9
WBC 9.2x19L 5.0 – 18.9
GRANS 6.5x19L 2.5 – 12.5
L/M 2.7x19L 1.5 – 7.8
PLT 310x19/L 175 - 500
What About
Now?
13

14. Data is Not Information: Common Depictions
14
Lots of Data
Not Much Information
Poor Presentation
High Mental Workload to Decipher
Cannot grasp what is going on “at-a-
glance”
45.1°
48.2°
50.6°
53.8°
54.9°
22.5%
45.1°
48.2°
50.6°
53.8°
54.9°
22.5%
98.2 MPPH
221.2 PSI
42.9°
96.2% “XYZ”
DP INH20
12-15 22.8
1-12 16.3
1-15 39.1
77.8 MPPH
60.1°
22.3% “ABC”
Most graphics in the
world basically look
like this!

15.  A Column Temperature Profile
 The Variable Bar Chart shows a lot
more Information as compared to
simple Data.
 The Line Colours are configured to
show deviation alarms – orange for
Warnings and red for Alerts!
 Just a single glance tells you the
complete picture.
Deviation or
absolute numbers
optionally toggled
-0.7
+1.1
+0.8
A good
profile?
Yes, this
one is.
Too hot at
the top, too
cold at the
bottom
20.1
24.2
25.6
27.8
28.9
Optional:
Line color
indicates
abnormality,
alarm is not
yet activated
Analog in Industrial
Examples
15

16. West East
Drive: 232.2 amps
W. Vibration: 2.77 E. Vibration: 3.07
108.2 °F155.2 °F
135.1
psig
190.5 psig
166.1 °F
2.77
MSCFHCooler Oil
155.2 °F
Oil 85.1 psi
55.7 psig
65.1 °F
P&IDs are not HMIs
A Poor Paradigm!
 Typical “P&ID Process Pictorial” – a
low performance, overused paradigm.
 Why even make HMIs? – Just take a
snapshot of the P&ID and add
dynamic values.
 HMI is a lot more Information as
opposed to a lot more Data
16

17. Alarm Indicator
Appears here
with Priority
Level and Color
Alarm Range
depicted and
(for some)
shutdown
value
Desirable
Operating
Range shown
as dotted
lines
Alarm Range
depicted and (for
some) shutdown
or interlock
initiator
Buttons for
additional
functionalit
y
Information is
Data in Context
Made Useful
 Analog Indicators with values,
direction, and alarm
 Shows Alarm Ranges
 Clearly shows ideal Operation
Range
RECYCLE COMPRESSOR K43
Show Values Show Trends
S
I
F S. I. D. S. I. I. D. E. W. A O O
L P P P T T T T V V M I I
O R R R E E E E I I P L L
W E E E M M M M B B S
S S S P P P P P T
E
M
P
OutIn
2
17

18. 18
Current Pressure Alarm Limit Shutdown Actuation
235.2 psig 250 psig 300 psig
Shutdown
-2 HRS
250
300
200
150
100
50
Alarm
Shutdown
-2 HRS
250
300
200
150
100
50
Alarm
Shutdown
-2 HRS
250
300
200
150
100
50
Alarm
The Importance
Of Properly
Thought Out
Trends
 Figure out what Analog Values
need Trending
 Trends greatly reduce the task
of decoding the data or even
information.

19. 19
Feed Flow
P 7.2 mph
S 7.0
O 34.5 %
AUTO
Head Temp
P 85.2 deg
S 85.0
O 50.5 %
AUTO
Base Temp
P 45.1 deg
S 46.0
O 34.5 %
AUTO
Level %
P 25.6 %
S 20.0
O 24.5 %
AUTO
Bot Flow
P 5.1 mph
S 4.5
O 28.7 %
AUTO
RB Steam
P 15.1 mph
S 15.0
O 47.5 %
AUTO
#7
RHP
COLUMN
Feed MPH 7.2
5.0
9.0
-30-90 -60
Base Temp Deg C 45.6
44.0
48.0
-30-90 -60
Bottom Flow MPH 5.1
2.2
6.5
-60 -30-90
Head Temp Deg C 85.8
83.0
87.0
-60 -30-90
Level % 25.6
12.0
28.0
-30-90 -60
Reboiler Steam MPH 7.2
13.0
17.0
-30-90 -60
TIME
BASE
2 HOURS
Toggle
OUTPUT
Trends show a lot
more!
 Extremely easy to have a glance
and see overall Plant KPIs
without the need to do a lot of
number crunching.
 Shows Alarm Ranges and ideal
Operational Ranges.

20. 20
Other Principles
to achieve the
Best HMI Design Poor Vessel
and Line
Depiction !
Crude
Feed
TK-21
CRUDE
FEED
TK-21
Better Vessel
and Line
Depiction
PROD TANK
SCRUBBER
To Scrubber
To Product
Tank
Not a navigation target
Navigation target
 Don’t get too fancy
 Keep it simple
 Avoid 3-D objects – they don’t
add any value and increase the
load on the overall system

21. Task With “Traditional”
HMI
With High
Performance
HMI
Improvement
Detecting
Abnormal
Situations
Before Alarms
Occur
10% of the time 48% of the time 5X increase
Success Rate in
Handling Abnormal
Situation 70% 96%
37% over
base case
Time to
Complete
Abnormal
Situation Tasks
18.1 min 10.6 min 41%
reduction
The High Performance HMI Advantages
Time after time, poor HMIs are
cited as contributing factors to
major accidents!
Study by Nova Chemicals and
ASM® Consortium
$800,000 per year savings
anticipated on 1 ethylene plant
21

22. ASM (Abnormal Situation Management) Standards
22
 Select colors to alert operator in abnormal situations
 Don’t use fancy, 3D and shinny (Glossy) objects
 Use bright saturated colors to indicate abnormal
situations only
 Data must be presented in such a way that, it reduces
Mental Workload
 Use Simple, Non-Distracting Elements for PID loops
 Devise navigational hierarchy according to process
Information
 Consider alarms and abnormality in animations
 HMI Background Colour has been standardized RGB
(192,192,192)

23. 23
ASM (Abnormal Situation Management) Outcome
 Real-time awareness
 Focus mental resources on
controlling the process, not on
interacting with the underlying
system platform
 An HMI design based on an
effectively defined display
hierarchy, a multiscreen / multi
window approach and not a
single display / single window
approach, simultaneous access
to display levels in the display
hierarchy,

24. 24
ASM (Abnormal Situation Management) Outcome
 Real-time awareness
 Focus mental resources on
controlling the process, not on
interacting with the underlying
system platform
 An HMI design based on an
effectively defined display
hierarchy, a multiscreen / multi
window approach and not a
single display / single window
approach, simultaneous access
to display levels in the display
hierarchy,

25. Level 1
Process Area
Overview Display
Level 2
Process Unit Control
Display
Level 2
Process Unit Control
Display
Level 2
Process Unit Control
Display
Level 3
Process Unit Detail
Display
Level 3
Process Unit Detail
Display
Level 3
Process Unit Detail
Display
Level 4
Process Unit Support
Display
Level 4
Process Unit Support
Display
Level 4
Process Unit Support
Display
Basic Principles
Hierarchy
25

26. Pumps with Run Indication Sensor:
Wrong Better
Pumps without Run Indication Sensing have a fill matching the background:
Not
Running
Running
Wrong Better
STOPPED
(Shape is Unfilled
and darker)
RUNNING
(Shape is Filled
and lighter)
Status Depiction
(Very Important)
 Bright Saturated color is used to
indicate ONLY abnormal
situations.
 A Running Pump or a Stopped
Pump is not an abnormal
situation.
 A Tripped or Interlocked or
Faulted Pump is an abnormal
situation.
26

27. Run Plan:
Reactor 1 Actual: Hydrog A Key Performance Indicators
Comp A Comp B Cool CPC CRM LVL Prod: Thionite Cycle Bed Bed Conversion Efficiency
State: Mid-Run Comp A A1 A2
80
Agit: ON
Locks: CLEAR
Suct Dsch %
Balance
IN OUT 500
80.0
F
Rate L 12HR70
VIB: OK O
72.0 BRG: OK W Emissions Limit Ratio
2 HR OIL: OK 470 1.0
Locks: CLEAR 2HR
Run Plan:
Reactor 2 Actual: Hydrog B
2
Comp A Comp B Cool CPC CRM LVL Prod: CRM-114 Cycle Bed Bed
State: Mid-Run Comp B B1 B2
12HR
Agit: ON 0.5
Locks: CLEAR Suct Dsch
Balance Feed System Aux Systems
IN OUT 500
Feed A Feed B Feed C SynG CWT CWP S10 S200
68.0
F
Rate L
VIB: OK O
60.0 BRG: OK W
2 HR OIL: OK 470
Locks: CLEAR 2 HR Atv 1 Atv 2 Pres %IP PWR VentP VentT MGA
Alarms: P1 P2 P3 P4 Toggle
ACK 0 1 2 4 List /Summary
Main Reactor Reactor Hydrog Hydrog
UNACK 0 0 1 1 Menu 1 2 A B
2 071608 08:55:07 RX2 LOW CRM –QUALITY EXC
Clr T-In T-Out Visc C57D Null-A Jup2 Grok
Trend Feed Aux Menus
Control Sys Sys L2 L3 L4
Reactor 1
Prod: Thionite
State: Mid-Run
Agit: ON Locks:
CLEAR
Run Plan:
Actual:
Balance
IN OUT
Menus
Main
Menu
Feed
Sys
Aux
Sys
Reactor
1
L2
Trend
Control
Comp A Comp B
72.0
80.0
2HR
Cool CPC CRM
Rate
Reactor 2
Prod: CRM-114
State: Mid-Run
Agit: ON Locks:
CLEAR
Balance
Comp A Comp B
60.0
68.0
2HR
Run Plan:
Actual:
Cool CPC CRM
Rate
IN OUT
Hydrog A
Bed
A1
Bed
A2
Suct Dsch
VIB: OK
BRG: OK
OIL: OK
Locks: CLEAR
Cycle
Comp A
470
500
F
L
O
W
2HR
Hydrog B
Bed
B1
Bed
B2
VIB: OK
BRG: OK
OIL: OK
Locks: CLEAR
Cycle
Comp B
Suct Dsch
500
F
L
O
W
470 2HR
Toggle
List /Summary
Alarms: P1 P2 P3 P4
ACK 0 1 2 4
UNACK 0 0 1 1
Reactor Hydrog
2 A
Hydrog
B
L3 L4
70
80
%
12HR
Key Performance Indicators
Conversion Efficiency
0.5
1.0
12HR
Emissions Limit Ratio
Feed System
Feed A Feed B Feed C SynG
Atv 1 Atv2 Pres %IP
Clr T-In T-Out Visc
Aux Systems
CWT CWP S10
PWR
C57D Null-A Jup2
S200
VentP VentT MGA
Grok
2
2 071608 08:55:07 RX2 LOW CRM –QUALITY EXC
LVL
LVL
Level 1 Overview
“At-A-Glance
Status”
 Level 1 Overview shows
the complete critical
 Plant KPIs as a glance.
 Extremely useful for
Factory/Plant Managers
27

28. AUTO
O 88.5 %
Main Feed
P 76.8 MPH
S 76.0
Main Feed MPH
80.0
72.0
-90 -
60
-30 2 Hours
O
AUTO
P 11.9 MPH
S 12.0
22.3 %
Additive1
Hours
2
Additive 1 MPH
14.0
10.0
-90 -
60
-30
P 4.0 MPH
S 4.0
O 44.3%
AUTO
Additive 2
6.0
2.0
Additive 2 MPH
-90 -
60
-30 2 Hours
VENT SYS
Analysis: Purity %
32.0
40.0
-90 -60 -30 2 Hours
Analysis: Inhibitor Concentration %
4.0
6.0
-90 -60 -30 2 Hours
Agitator
ON
Reactor M5 M5 Pressure
P 98.0 psig
S 95.0
O 44.3 %
AUTO
AUTO
O 54.3 %
M5 Level%
P 71.0 %
S 70.0
52.3 %
5.0 %
Coolant
Flow
AUTO
S 45.0
O 54.3%
M5 Temp
P 45.0 °C
To
Coils
COOLING SYS
92.0 MPH
PRODUCT
48.
0
Temperature °C
40.0
-90 -
60
-30 2 Hours
Product: Thionite State: Mid-
Run
Material Balance
SHUT Reset
DOWN
M5
IN OUT
+10%
FREEZE
M5
-10%
ISOLA
TE M5
19707 19301
Calc Diff: 2.1 %
Hours: 238.1
Since: 06/02/07
14:00:00
Run
Pl
an
:
Ac
tu
al:Pumps
Needed
1
Pump 1
RUNNING
Diagnostics
1-OK 2-
BAD
Pump 2
STOPPED
Main
Menu
- Level 3 -
M5
Interlocks
Product
Recovery
Level 1
Reaction
Overview
M5
Sequence
Overlay
Purge
Rate
Cat.
Activity
Coolant Conversion Reserve
Temp Efficiency Capacity
M5
Startup
Overlay
M4 M6
- Level 3 -
M5 Cooling
System
Feed Components: A - B - C
+/- 5 psi, 2hr
+/- 1 %, 2hr
Trend Feed
Control System
4
Level 2 Process
Unit Control
 Level 2 Process Unit
Control shows the Unit
 Control KPIs and Critical
Information
 Extremely useful for Area
Managers

29. Examples from a Recent Project
29

30. DCPOverview–Level1

31. ChillerOverview–Level2

32. ChillerControl–Level3

33. ChillerControlParamters
Level4

34. Dashboard
Panels
 Screen Layout divided in to
side panel and Process
screen
 On click asset information is
populated in Asset
Information tab
 Trend related to same asset
is also generated on same
click
 Prime KPI of that area is
always visible

35. Question & Answers
Thank You for Your Valuable Time
35

36. Lahore, Pakistan
Headquarters South East Asia
19 Km Main Multan Road
Lahore, Punjab 54660
Pakistan
Phone : + 92 42 111 940 940
Dubai, UAE
Headquarters Middle East And Asia
Office FZS1 BD04, Jebel Ali Free Zone
PO Box 18590, Dubai
United Arab Emirates
Phone: +971 4 88 60 277
Exton, USA
Headquarters Americas
180 Sheree Boulevard, Suite 1400
Exton, PA 19341
United States of America
Phone +1 610 458 8700
Regional Offices and Global Headquarters