Control centers are one of the most critical spaces within organizations, since this is a place where key processes are monitored. That is why maintaining the environment, tehcnology and processes updated will always be essential to guarantee a continuous operation, with the least number of incidents. It is very common to see control centers that do not have optimal conditions for a critical environment.
Main elements in a outdated control center
Furniture
Sometimes the furniture does not correspond to a 24/7 use and has inappropiated materials and finishes that can make the control center look worn, outdated, or even disorganized, since they commonly do not have internal management for wiring or equipment. In addition, do not usually comply with ergomic sizes and standards need in a critical environment. Obsolete technical furniture usually takes up large size, looks rudimentary and has technical compartmets for equipment that is no longer used.
Chairs
Chairs that also do not correspond to a 24/7 use generally cause work illnesses or disabilities due to lack of optimal ergonomic conditions. What is more, they entail a very high wear because their materials and mechanisms are not designed or manufactured for a 24 hours a day the 365 days of the year use.
Display systems
It is more frequent than you may think to see control centers with non-professional display systems, including commercial televisions. These kind of screens do not meet any visual ergonomics criteria, heat dissipation or quality for a 24/7 use. Thus, it is very common to see that the screens turn off, have very little useful life, their colors and brightness are altered or in uniform and make the temperature of the environment higher.
Undoubtedly, talking about “updating” also means talking about technology.
Nowadays technology advances very fast and it is necessary to be prepared to adapt. The control centers handle a diversity of information and it could be said that the volume is increasing. That is why, despite the great advances, it is still very common to see almost obsolete technologies (analogous, of complex use, updating and growth).
Environmental conditions
In additon to the equipment, environmental conditions can also be outdated.
Insufficient or inappropiate lighting, non-existent air conditioning, narros spaces or corridors that hinder mobility in the room, inadequate acoustic conditions, among others, are very common factors in this type of control centers.
Which solutions does the market offer to maintain updated a control center?
It is a fact that today there is not only more information, but the rate of growth, complexity and variety of that information has increased, so it becomes necessary to migrate to information display solutions based in network; these will not only facilitate collaboration and make better and faster decisions, but it will also allow greater capacity and flexibility of growth (scalability) while reducing equipment density in the same space.
An example of network-based technologies is DeskWall of GESAB, the dynamic KVM, which allows operators to manage and control different equipments and sources, using a single keyboard and mouse. This innovative tool gives the operator the ability to generate, with absolute flexilibility, a space to organize all their apps, programms, equipment, displays, smart apps, web services, IP video, streaming, social networks or widgets guaranteeing a 360 vision to each operator of all key information for their operation. In addition, regardless if the operation grows, and therefore the sources to display, this same system will have the ability to adapt and grow.
On the other hand, the continuity of the operation must be considered. As already mentioned in the text, control centers monitor critical processes of great importance, so it is essential to guarantee the concentration and the state of health and comfort of operators. Technical furniture (control consoles and chairs for 24/7 use) with international quality and ergonomics standard will ensure that operators are in an optimal environment to perform their tasks. Regulations such as ISO 11064 or UNE-EN 527 provide standards for the design and equipment of control centers.
It is necessary that all equipment, including technical furniture, videowalls, technology and even environmental criteria (lightning, acoustic, floors, air conditioning, space layout, etc.) must be governed by these mentioned criteria, to ensure that the workspace has the reliability for rough use (24 hours the 365 days of the year).
In additon to the above, issues as after-sales service, redundancies and equipment guarantees are of great help to ensure the operation continuity in a 24/7 intensive use. For these kind of solutions today there are technologies, specially for display systems with redundancies both in software and hardware that prevent failures or falls.
Control centers, in addition to being a critical space for process monitoring, are also “operational showrooms” where different stakeholders, customers, suppliers, among others, can see the technical and operational capacity of companies. Therefore, modernizing the control center is essential to maintain an updated and innovative corporate image.
Understanding the importance of keeping the control center updated, GESBA designs modern and timeless projects that allow the client to have its investment current por a long period of time. Through a 360º vision best practices are recommended and the best equipment is developed for critical 24/7 use.