The Benefits of Well-Designed HMI / SCADA Systems

How many of you have struggled with the remote control of your TV? Why is every remote different? There in no way the engineer who designed this thing tested it before releasing it to the market and it seems that no one else did either. Mine has over 75 buttons, of which I only use about 20; not to talk about the fact that they all carry obscure acronyms.

To miss the beginning of your favorite show can be a "big" deal in your everyday life, I understand that. However, let’s transpose this situation to the industrial world where poor design can have really negative effects.

The importance of a well-designed HMI

The main purpose of an operator mimic is to help quickly identify problems and causes. Similar to the remote, which is the link between the user and the gadget, the human machine interface (HMI) is the link between the operator and the industrial process. However, many users underestimate the importance of a good design. Operators should be able to recognize which information needs their attention, and what it indicates, with just a glance. For that, the operator not only needs a good user interface, but a system that also delivers a great user experience.

Operator screens are often designed by engineers who turn technical diagrams into plant mimics. They are trying to push the systems to the limits using a profusion of symbols and widgets, too many colors, no hierarchy of information, resulting in an interface that is difficult to read, particularly in the case of an emergency. It translates into increased response time, prolonged downtime, and possibly safety issues.

Keep it simple, keep it smart


At GE Vernova, we have worked with selected customers and institutions, such as universities in seven different countries, to identify the main topics that should be considered when designing an HMI screen. We have come up with nine main topics including visual coding, information layout, screen hierarchy and navigation, alarm presentation, and more. These are the rules that we apply when we design our own systems.

Some key takeaways that we’ve learned: Whether it is about the objects used to build the mimics or the colors used for their animation, it’s important keep it simple, readable, and always with the end-user in mind. Avoid 3D objects, shades and bright colors. One word can summarize the overall approach—simplification. And simple design rules can help reduce the time to identify issues and access to the relevant information fast.

The operator should have confidence in the system and be able to recognize and understand information with ease and speed, anticipate and recognize issues quickly, instantly respond, complete the task at hand, and navigate seamlessly. A good operator interface in a production environment means:

Some of our customers have seen a 5X increase in problem detection and a 37% increase in efficiency when dealing with abnormal situations. And you can, too. Visit our Water/Wastewater industry webpage to learn about how utility operators can unlock these outcomes and more. For operators in other industries, you can learn more by visiting our Proficy HMI/SCADA webpage.