Data Entry

NEWSLETTER ARTICLE

I know of more than one example of an operator entering the wrong value into the DCS. As it turns out, the process industries are not unique in this regard. A recent study on medical devices (Wiseman, S., Cox, Anna, and Brumby, D. "Designing Devices with the Task in Mind: Which Numbers Are Really Used in Hospitals?" Human Factors , Vol 55, No 1, 2013 pp. 6174) was prompted by data entry error with fusion pumps.

While the researchers developed criteria for medical data devices, one suggestion might have applicability for process control. This was the use of a scroll wheel (see picture) which limits errors due to failure to enter a value or have the value not take. Cases of failing to sufficiently depress a key, so that 500 becomes 50, or depressing a key too often, so that 50 becomes 500, would not happen with a scroll wheel.

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