The Process is Under Control! Understanding the Building Blocks of User Experience in Operator Work

Our everyday working life is an experience rich. The multifaceted nature of operator experiences in process control activity is a critical yet underexplored domain. We aim to study the rich tapestry of emotions and experiences that operators encounter, ranging from triumphant problem-solving to the intense pressure of emergency situations. However, these experiences that provide opportunities for learning and growth, and make the work rich in content have not been fully utilized in system design so far. By examining multiple case studies within the oil refining and the paper and pulp industries, this paper seeks to illuminate the nuanced ways in which these experiences can inform and enhance system design. Our goal is to harness these insights to foster the development of advanced, sustainable process control systems that are attuned to the real-world experiences of operators. Thus, the paper contributes to laying a better basis for experience-driven design of process control systems.