Task
Design an interface to predict changes in melting parameters. Experts monitor the parameters of the melting process and provide forecasts for future meltings. The interface should display key metrics, issue notifications when parameters exceed limits, and offer predictions for future melting settings.
Research
We conducted several interviews with melting controllers and senior engineers, analyzing their feedback. The interviews revealed the main metrics that experts would like to monitor and their preference for simple, contrasted, and visually clear data representation with a distinctive color palette and warning system. Most controllers preferred having all the relevant information readily available without the need for excessive interaction with the computer.
Solution
On the following pages, you will find graphical solutions for various processes. The primary solution that makes them all easily readable is a well-structured interface with clean and legible elements. After the training sessions, experts were able to access the desired information up to 43 times faster compared to the previous control system. Moreover, all important metrics, warnings, or anomalies were impossible to miss.
A multitude of measurements and recommendations are grouped into collections based on common attributes and can be switched as needed.
Above the graph, there is a moving strip of cards that open detailed graphs. Manual card switching is not required - it is sufficient to occasionally glance at the monitor, where the cards switch automatically after a certain period of time.
Specialists are aided in evaluating the equipment's performance by conducting a cross-analysis of graphs, where the parameters are not directly linked to one another. For this purpose, the final card contains a comprehensive set of graphs.
The correct adjustment of the melting temperature is crucial to prevent the plant from incurring excessive expenses on unnecessary electricity consumption for heating the steel. To ensure this, there is a dedicated service where workers study the recommendations for the optimal temperature levels required at different stages of production.
In the initial development process, a multitude of rough wireframes were created to search for the optimal arrangement of interface elements.
