Strategies For Designing and Implementating Effective Human Computer Interface For SCADA System PDF

Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research
University of Technology
Computer Engineering and Information Technology Department
DESIGN AND IMPLEMENTATION OF

USER INTERFACE; STRATEGIES FOR
EFFECTIVE HUMAN COMPUTER
INTERFACE
A Thesis Submitted to the Department of
Computer Engineering and Information Technology
University of Technology
In Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of
Master of Science in
Software Engineering
Prepared By:
Muna Dhia Sheet Khattab
Supervised By:
Dr. Mohammed Najim Abdullah
March, 2007
Rabia I, 1428

) (
DEDICATED TO;
My sons
Ahmed and Mohammed
And more so to my
Father and Mother
But most to my husband

Kais
CERTIFICATION
I certify that this thesis entitled Design and Implementation of User

Interface; Strategies for Effective Human Computer Interface was
prepared under my linguistic supervision. Its language was amended to meet
the style of English language.
Signature
Name:
Date:
SUPERVISORS CERTIFICATION
I certify that the preparation of this thesis entitled Design and

Implementation of User Interface; Strategies for Effective Human
Computer Interface was made under my supervision by Muna Dhia Sheet
Khattab at the Department of Computer Engineering and Information
Technology in the University of Technology in partial fulfillment of
requirements for the degree of Master of Science in Software Engineering.
Signature
Dr. Mohammed Najim Abdullah
Supervisor
Date:
/2007
ACKNOWLEDGMENT
I am highly indebted to my supervisor Dr. Mohammed Najim
Abdullah for his supervision, guidance and encouragement through this
work.
Next, I would like to express my sincere thanks and gratitude to Prof.
Dr. Munther N. Baker for his assistance in conducting this work.
I also express my gratitude to Eng. Anas Younis who was very helpful
in his suggestions and support through the course of this work.
Finally, I would like to thanks Mr. Nazar AlQuraishi who has
facilitated my obtaining the necessary data for the work.
LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS
ADO
ActiveX Data Object
COM
Component Object Model
CPM-GOMS
Cognitive Perceptual Motor Goal Operators

Methods Selection
DB
Database
DBMS
Database Management System
DCS
Distributed Control System
GOMS
Goal Operators Methods Selections
GUI
Graphical User Interface
HCI
Human Computer Interface
HMI
Human Machine Interface
IP
Internet Protocol
IS
Information Systems
LAN
Local Area Network
LUCID
Logical User- Centered Interaction Design
MDAC
Microsoft Data Access Components
MFC
Microsoft Foundation Classes
MMI
Man Machine Interface
MS
Microsoft
NCS
National Communication System
NDC
National Dispatch center
OAI
Object Action Interface
ODBC
Open Database Connectivity
OLE
Object Linking and Embedding
OLE DB
Object Linking and Embedded Database

i
PC
Personal Computer
PLC
Programmable Logic Controller
PSN
Public Switched Network
RAM
Random Access Memory
RTU
Remote Terminal Unit
SCADA
Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition
SDLC
System Development Life Cycle
SQL
Structured Query Language
TAG
Task Action Grammars
TIB
Technical Information Bulletin
UHF
Ultra High Frequency
UI
User Interface
UIMS
User Interface Management System
VHF
Very High Frequency
WAN
Wide Area Network
ii
ABSTRACT
The study of the strategies for Effective Human Computer Interaction (HCI) is
a powerful primer on how - and why - some products satisfy customers while others
only frustrate them. As computer use became more widespread, the number of
researchers specialized in studying the interaction between people and computers
increased. These researchers deal with the physical, psychological and theoretical
aspects of such interaction.
Many products that require users to interact with them to carry out their tasks
have not necessarily been designed with the users in mind. Typically, they have been
engineered as systems to perform set functions. The aim of this thesis is to redress this
concern by bringing usability into the design process. In essence, it is about
developing interactive products that are easy, effective, and enjoyable to use from
the users perspective.
This thesis shows that the success of any user-interface development depends
on three pillars; guidelines documents and processes, users-interface software tools,
and expert review and usability testing. These three pillars help user-interface
architects to turn good ideas into successful systems. Experience has shown that each
pillar can produce an order-ofmagnitude speedup in the process and can facilitate the
creation of excellent systems.
This methodology for effective and interactive human computer interface
design was applied to Iraqi Power Generation Stations, Supervisory Control and Data
Acquisition (SCADA) System and was tested by using real database taken from
AlQurashi Bureau. SEMATIC Window Control Center (WinCC), version 6,
developed by Siemens AG was used to design the SCADA and HCI modules.
Evaluation methods were applied to the developed product such as cognitive
walkthrough, competitive usability testing, and questionnaire for user interaction
satisfaction (QUIS) and finally quality test of the developed product was conducted.
iii
CONTENTS
Title
Page
Chapter One
General Introduction
1.1 Introduction
1.2 Definition of HCI:
1.3 Advantages and applications of HCI
1.4 The Importance of HCI
1.5 Professionals involved in HCI
1.6 SCADA Systems
1.7 Literature survey
1.7.1 Work related to HCI
1.7.2 Work related to SCADA system
10
1.7.3 Work related to usability
12
1.8 Work Objectives
12
1.9 Thesis Outline
12
Chapter Two
HCI Guidelines, Principles and Theories
2.1 Introduction
15
2.2 Guidelines
16
2.2.1 Navigation of the interface
17
2.2.2 Organization of the display
17
iv
2.2.3 Recommendations for guidelines documents

2.3 Principles
18
19
2.3.1 Determine users skill levels
20
2.3.2 Identify the tasks
21
2.3.3 Choose an interaction styles
22
2.3.4 Use the eight golden rules of interface design
24
2.3.5 Prevent Errors
26
2.4 Theories
26
2.5 Object-Action Interface Model
27
2.5.1 Task hierarchies of objects and actions
27
2.5.2 Interface hierarchies of objects and actions
28
2.5.3 The disappearance of syntax
29
2.6 LUCID Development Methodology
29
Chapter Three
Software Tools, Expert Reviews and Usability Testing
3.1 Introduction
34
3.2 Software-Engineering Tools
34
3.3 Criteria of Finding the Right Design Tool
36
3.4 SIMATIC WinCC HMI
38
3.4.1 WinCC Advanced Features
39
3.4.2 WinCC Traditional HMI Tasks
40
3.5 SCADA Screens
41
3.5.1 Schematic Pages
41
3.5.2 Database Pages
42
3.5.3 Alarm/Event Pages
42
3.5.4 Report Pages
43
3.5.5 Operator Pages
43
3.6 Database Management System
43
3.6.1 SQL Server
44
3.6.2 ActiveX Data Object
44
3.7 Evaluating Interface Designs
45
3.7.1 Expert Reviews
45
3.7.2 Expert-Reviews Report
48
3.8 Usability Definition
49
3.8.1 Usability Testing and Laboratories
49
3.8.2 Limitations of Usability Testing
50
3.9 Survey and Questionnaire
50
3.9.1 Questionnaire for User Interaction Satisfaction (QUIS)

3.10 Acceptance Tests
51
51
3.11 Evaluation during Active Use
52
Chapter Four
Implementation of HCI for SCADA System
4.1 Introduction
54
4.2 Case Study: The Electrical Power Generation System
54
4.3 Communication System
57
4.4 Master station
59
4.5 Electrical Power Generation Station (field data interface devices)
59
4.5.1 Power station specifications
60
4.6 Defining SCADA Modules
62
4.6.1 Graphic Designers
63
vi
4.6.2 Plant Program
65
4.6.3 Report Designer Module
65
4.6.4 Trends Module
66
4.6.5 Alarm Generation Module
67
4.6.6 Achieving Module
69
4.6.7 Data Base Modules
69
4.6.7.1 System database
70
4.6.7.2 Archive Database
70
4.6.7.3 Tag Database
70
4.6.8 Application Module
71
4.6.9 HMI Module
71
4.6.9.1 HMI Main Page
71
4.6.9.2 Navigation Page
72
4.6.9.3 HMI Schematic Pages
74
4.6.9.4 Database Pages
76
4.6.9.5 Alarm/ Event Pages
76
4.6.9.6 HMI Trending Pages
77
4.6.9.7 HMI Report Pages
77
4.6.9.8 HMI System Pages
79
4.6.9.9 HMI Operators Pages
79
Chapter Five
HCI and SCADA System Test
5.1 Introduction
82
5.2 Requirements for the Installation of WinCC
83
5.2.1 Hardware Requirements for the Installation of WinCC
vii
83
5.2.2 Software Requirements for the Installation

5.3 Expert Reviews
84
84
5.3.1 Cognitive walkthrough technique
84
5.4 Usability Testing
85
5.5 Questionnaire for User Interaction Satisfaction (QUIS)
85
5.6 Running the SCADA Product
91
5.7 Developed Product Quality Test
92
Chapter Six
Conclusions and Suggestions for Future Work
6.1 Conclusion
95
6.2 Suggestions for Future Work
97
References
99
Appendix A
A-1
SCADA System Functions
Appendix B
Walkthrough and Heuristic Evaluation
B-1
Appendix C
Questionnaire for User Interaction Satisfaction
viii
C-1
CHAPTER ONE
GENERAL INTRODUCTION
Chapter One; GENERAL INTRODUCTION
CHAPTER ONE
GENERAL INTRODUCTION
1.1 Introduction
Old computing was about what computers could do; the new
computing is about what users can do [22]. Successful technologies are
those that are in harmony with users needs. Researchers and designers
could claim success, but user expectations are higher, applications are more
demanding, and the variety of platforms has grown. In addition to desk top
computers designers must now accommodate web-based services and
mobile devices. At the same time, some innovators provoke us with virtual
and augmented realities, whereas others alluring scenarios for ubiquitous
computing, embedded devices, and tangible user interfaces [3]. HumanComputer Interaction (HCI) is the study of how people design, implement,
use interactive computer systems, and how computers affect individuals,
organizations, and society. This encompasses not only ease of use but also
new interaction techniques for supporting user tasks, providing better access
to information, and creating more powerful forms of communication. It
involves input and output devices, interaction techniques, how information is
presented and requested, how the computer's actions are controlled and
monitored and all forms of help, documentation, and training. It also
includes tools used to design, build, test, and evaluate user interfaces and the
processes that developers follow when creating interfaces.
Users expect highly effective and easy-to-learn interfaces, and

developers now realize the crucial role the interface plays. Surveys show that
over 50% of the design and programming effort on projects are devoted to
the user interface portion [40, 52]. Interface design is a major part of HCI,
because there are also well-known catastrophes that have resulted from not
paying enough attention to the human-computer interface [3].
Figure 1.1: The Nature of Human Computer Interaction
1.2 Definition of HCI:

There is currently no agreed upon definition of the range of topics
which form the area of human-computer interaction. Yet it is needed to
characterize the field to get the right definition, therefore from a computer
science perspective, since its focus is on interaction and specifically on

interaction between one or more humans and one or more computational
machines, it can be defined as;
Human-computer interaction is a discipline concerned with the design,
evaluation and implementation of interactive computing systems for
human use and with the study of major phenomena surrounding them.
[39].
1.3 Advantages and Applications of HCI

Human Computer Interaction helps to produce business success
stories and produce intense computation for organizations. Routine
processes and decision support are also affected by HCI for individual user
level as well as communities for globalization and family use. Below is a
brief of such effects [3];
Organizations
- Success Stories: Microsoft, Linux, Amazon.com, Google.
- Comptition : Netscape vs. Internet Explorer.
- Copyright Infringement Suits: Apple vs. Microsoft (Windows) and
Napster vs. The music industry.
- Mergers: AOL and Time Warner.
- Corporate Takeovers: IBMs seizure of Lotus.
- Privacy and Security issues: identification theft, medical information,
viruses, spam, pornography, national security.
Individual User Level
- Routine processes: tax return preparation.
- Decision support: a doctors diagnosis and treatment.
- Education and training: encyclopedias, drill- and practice exercises,

simulations
- Leisure: music and sports information.
Communities
- Business use: financial planning, publishing applications.
- Industries and professions: web resources for journals, and career
opportunities.
- Family use: entertainment and communication.
- Globalization: language and culture.
1.4 The Importance of HCI

Human-Computer Interaction studies a human and a machine in
communication; it draws from supporting knowledge on both the machine
and the human side. On the machine side, techniques in computer graphics,
operating systems, programming languages, and development environments
are relevant. On the human side, communication theory, graphic and
industrial design disciplines, linguistics, social sciences, cognitive
psychology, and human performance are relevant. As well as engineering
and design methods are also relevant. Therefore, the answer to why HumanComputer Interaction is;
- 40-60% of todays software consists of user interfaces [22].
- Such interfaces support high interactivity with the user, much end-user
programming
-User interactivity is only going to get more complex: 3D graphics and
virtual reality, augmented reality activities.
- Many usability problems are due to a bad interface design.
- Users sabotage systems they dont understand.

- Users make more errors when dealing with systems that are difficult to
use.
- A well-designed user interface can reduce coding costs, interface
problems, life-threatening errors; can also lead to increase sales
more...
1.5 Professionals Involved in HCI

The interdisciplinary design science of Human- Computer Interaction
(HCI) combines knowledge and methods associated with professionals
including:
- Psychologists (including experimental, educational, and industrial
psychologists).
- Computer scientists.
- Instructional and graphic designers.
- Technical writers.
- Human factors and ergonomics experts.
- Anthropologists and sociologists.
1.6 SCADA Systems

SCADA is an acronym for Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition.
SCADA systems are used to monitor and control a plant or equipment in
industries such as; energy, oil and gas refining, telecommunications, and
transportation. These systems encompass the transfer of data between a
central host computer and a number of Remote Terminal Units (RTUs)
and/or Programmable Logic Controllers (PLCs), and the central host and the
operator terminals. A SCADA system gathers information, transfers the

information back to a central site, then alerts the home station that a trip has
occurred, carrying out necessary analysis and control, such as determining if
the trip is critical, and displaying the information in a logical and organized
fashion. These systems consist of:
- One or more field data interface devices, usually RTUs, or PLCs, which
is interfaced to field sensing devices and local control switchboxes and
valve actuators.
- A communications system is used to transfer data between field data
interface devices and control units and the computers in the SCADA
central host. The system can be based on radio, telephone, cable,
satellite, etc., or any combination of these.
- A central host computer server or servers (sometimes called a SCADA
Center, master station, or Master Terminal Unit (MTU).
- A collection of standard and/or custom software [sometimes called
Human Machine Interface (HMI) software or Man Machine Interface
(MMI) software] systems are used to provide the SCADA central host
and operator terminal application, support the communications system,
and monitor and control remotely located field data interface devices.
The SCADA traditional communication systems have made use of the
Public Switched Network (PSN) for monitoring purposes. Today many
systems are monitored using the infrastructure of the corporate Local Area
Network (LAN)/Wide Area Network (WAN). Wireless technologies are
now being widely deployed for purposes of monitoring. Figure 1.2 shows a
typical SCADA system [43].
1.2: Typical SCADA System
1.7 Literature Survey

There are many research papers and articles related to this subject.
The following are some of these classified according to the subject of an
interest.
1.7.1 Work Related to HCI

Waleed Khalid, 1997, developed user interface management system
(UIMS) named Stanple. It is supported by rapid prototype and incremental
development through simple, fast, and easy to implement HCI [52]. Stanple
has the following features;
- Running under Windows 3.1
- The use of configuration program.
- Full monitoring and controlling of the system.
- Supports schematic and Alarm/Event pages only.

Hadeel Abdul-Ammeer, 2000, developed user interface management
system (UIMS) named HCI Studio [20]. Many concepts of HCI design, like
interface styles, principles to support interface usability, and interface
independence where are studied in her thesis. The studio has the following
features;
- Running under Windows 95, 98, and NT.
- Full graphical features.
- Password protection.
- Arabic HCI.
- On-Line help.
- Flexible and attractive HCI.
- Supporting Schematic and Alarm/Event pages only.
Afrah Thamir Ali, 2005, presented many concepts of high quality
software engineering like modularity, high cohesion and low coupling
studied which are used to enhance HCI quality [1]. The enhanced HCI has
the following features;
- HCI is divided into three separate modules.
- Full visualization of the process.
- Containing all SCADA necessary pages.
- Reusability, Productivity and user satisfaction are achieved.
- Running under windows 2000 operating system.
- Password protection.
Ping Zhang, Jane Carey, Dov Teeni and Marilyn Tremaine, 2005,
stated that incorporating a human computer (HCI) perspective into the
systems developed life cycle (SDLC) is necessary for information systems
(IS) success and, in turn, for the success of businesses to achieve humancentered IS development approach [39].
1.7.2 Work Related to SCADA System

Suyeong Kim, 1997, developed a prescriptive model of human
intervention based on given probabilistic descriptions of the performance of
a decision aid and the performance of an operator, and cost functions for
consequences of each decision [43]. Work features are:
- The model provides a conceptual basis for a new human-computer
interface to give operators more refined advice on alternative actions
than is given in the current interface.
- The new interfaces guarantee correct human interventions, which results
in the improvement of overall performance.
- The new interface reduces the operators decision making time.
Michael P.Wardin, 2004, highlighted security and stability due to
recent failures of critical infrastructure of SCADA systems. The first step
towards achieving these concepts is developing an abstract generic
framework for defining and understanding SCADA systems [32]. The work
features are;
- Matrix approach is provided to understand the systems features,
functions and capabilities, and how components in the system relate and
interface with each other.
- The variety of open communication protocols have been defined and
described.
10
- Two small SCADA systems, using industry standard components and

simulating real word applications, were designed and constructed to
provide context for applying the matrix approach.
Mitsuya Kato, Katsufumi Watahiki, Tatsuyuki Suzuki, 2004,
continued the evolution of networking and PC technologies, enabled better
integration of control center systems and drove down operating costs [31].
Work features:
- Employing low-cost-high performance PC servers.
- Preserving the excellent reliability and processing capabilities of
Hitachis existing supervisory control technologies.
- The new comprehensive system combines an integrated control center
system based on PC servers running Linux and substation controller
connected to WANs using IP technology.
National Communications system (NCS) developed technical
information Bulletin (TIB) 04-1 on supervisory control and data acquisition
(SCADA) systems [36]. An overview of SCADA is provided, and security
concerns are addressed and examined. Work features:
- Identifying developing and coordinating proposed standards which either
contributes
to
the
interoperability
of
functionality
of
similar
telecommunication systems or to the achievement of the compatible and

efficient interface between computer and telecommunications systems.
- Considerable amount of effort is expended in initiating and pursuing
joint standards development through efforts from appropriate technical
committees of the International Organization for Standardization, the
International
Telecommunication
Standardization Sector.
11
Union
and
Telecommunication
1.7.3 Work Related to Usability

Xavier Ferre, Natalia Juristo, Helmut Windl and Larry Constantine,
2001, showed the relationship between usability and the users interface, and
how the usability process follows a design-evaluate-redesign cycle was
discussed [51]. Some management issues mentioned.
Ben Sheiderman, 2003, promoted the idea of multi-layer interface
designs that enable first-time and novice users to begin with a limited set of
features at layer1 [3]. They can remain at layer1, then move up to higher
layers when needed or when they have time to learn future features.
1.8 Work Objectives

The objectives of this project are;
- Studying the strategies for the design and implementation of an effective
HCI for SCADA system by:
- Presenting a broad survey of how to develop high-quality user interfaces
for interactive systems.
- Paying greater attention usability issues and promoting further scientific
study of human computer interaction.
1.9 Thesis Outline

This chapter provides an introduction to the meaning of Human
Computer Interface and the Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition
systems as well as the main previous studies in this field. Also, chapter two
defines the necessary guidelines, principles and object /action model of HCI.
12
Chapter three illustrates the second and third pillars of successful user
interface development (software tools) especially SIMATIC HMI developed
by SIEMENS and (expert review and usability testing), chapter four
describes the development of HCI modules and SCADA modules in terms of
software structure, main functions, algorithms, and graphical appearance.
Chapter five illustrates the tests results of the developed HCI modules and
SCADA modules. Finally, chapter six presents conclusions and suggestions
for future work.
13
CHAPTER TWO
HCI GUIDELINES, PRINCIPLES,
AND THEORIES
Chapter TwO; HCI GUIDELINES, PRINCIPLES, AND THEORIES
CHAPTER TWO
HCI GUIDELINES, PRINCIPLES AND THEORIES
2.1 Introduction
The study of the strategies for the design of an effective human computer
interface is a difficult challenge. It requires a careful study of guidelines,
principles, theories and how they can be integrated into the design process.
Designs should be based on careful observation of current users, refined by
thoughtful analysis of task frequencies and sequences, and validated through early
usability and through acceptance tests [4]. The variety of design situations
precludes a comprehensive strategy. However, these strategies began with the
organizational design that gave appropriate emphasis to support usability [5].
Successful User Interfaces
Guidelines
Documents
And Process
User Interface
Software
Tools
Expert Reviews
And
Usability Testing
Theories
And Models
Algorithms
And Prototypes
Controlled
Experiments
Academic Research
Figure 2.1: The three pillars of successful user-interface development.
15
There are three pillars of successful users-interface development; guidelines

documents and processes, users-interface software tools, and expert review and
usability testing (Figure2.1) [4]. These three pillars will be described in this
chapter which helps user-interface architects to turn good ideas into successful
systems. Experience has shown that each pillar can produce an order-ofmagnitude speedup in the process and can facilitate the creation of excellent
systems.
Also this chapter shows that the logical User-Centered Interaction Design
(LUCID) methodology which, is a good framework for scheduling.
2.2 Guidelines
From the earliest days, interface designers have tried to write down
guidelines to record their insight and guide the efforts of future designers.
Guidelines
Navigation of the interface
Recommended guidelines documents
Standardize task sequences.

Ensure that embedded links are descriptive
Use unique and descriptive headings
Develop pages that will print properly
Use thumbnail images to preview larger images
Terminology(object and actions),

Icons, buttons graphics, and line thickness
Menu selection, form fill-in, and dialog box formats
Wording of prompts, feedback, and error messages.
Data entry and display formats for items and lists
Strategies for adapting to small and large displays
Response times for a variety of tasks
Action sequences
Shortcuts and programmed function keys
Error handling and recovery procedures
Online help and tutorials
Training and reference materials
Organization of the display

Consistency of data display
Efficient information assimilation by the user
Minimal memory load on the user
Compatibility of data display with data entry
Flexibility for user control of data display
Figure 2.2: Guidelines documents and processes
A guidelines document helps to develop a shared language and then promote

consistency among multiple designers in terminology, appearance, and action
16
sequences. It records best practices derived from practical experience or

empirical studies with appropriate examples [4].
The following sections show selected guidelines depending on action which
can be adopted by agreement among people concerned with interface design.
2.2.1 Navigation of the Interface

Since navigation can be difficult for many users, providing clear rules is
helpful. This sample of guidelines comes from the National Cancer Institute [25].
- Standardize task sequences. Allow users to perform tasks in the same sequences
and manner across similar conditions.
- Ensure that embedded links are descriptive. When using embedded links, the
link text should accurately describe the links destination.
- Use unique and descriptive headings. Use headings that are unique from one
another and conceptually related to the content they describe.
- Develop pages that will print properly. If users are likely to print one or more
pages, develop pages with widths that print properly.
- Use thumbnail images to preview larger images. When viewing full-size images
is not critical, first provide a thumbnail of the image.
2.2.2 Organization the Display

Display design is a large topic with many special cases. Smith and Mosier
(1986) offered five high-level goals as part of their guidelines for data display [11]:
- Consistency of data display. During the design process, the terminology,
abbreviation, formats, colors, capitalization, and so on should all be standardized.
- Efficient information assimilation by the user. The format should be familiar to
the operator and should be related to the tasks required to be performed with the
data.
17
- Minimal memory load on the user. Users should not be required to remember
information from one screen for use on another screen. Tasks should be arranged
such that completion occurs with few actions, minimize the chance of forgetting
to perform a step. Label and common formats should be provided for novice or
intermittent users.
- Compatibility of data display with data entry. The format of displayed
information should be linked clearly to the format of the data entry. Where
possible and appropriate, the output fields should also act as editable input fields.
- Flexibility for user control of data display. Users should be able to obtain the
information from the display in the form most convenient for the task on which
they are working.
2.2.3 Recommendations for Guidelines Documents

The creation of a guidelines document at the beginning of an implementation
project should focus attention on the interface design and provides an opportunity
for discussion of controversial issues. [4]
Guidelines documents must be living texts that are adapted to change in
needs and refined through experience [14].
Each project has different needs, but guidelines should be considered for:
Terminology(object and actions),abbreviations, and capitalization
Icons, buttons graphics, and line thickness
Menu selection, form fill-in, and dialog box formats
Wording of prompts, feedback, and error messages.
Data entry and display formats for items and lists
Strategies to adapt small and large displays
Response times for a variety of tasks
Action sequences; Direct manipulation click, drag, drop, and gestures

18
Shortcuts and programmed function keys
Error handling and recovery procedures
Online help and tutorials
Training and reference materials
2.3 Principles
While guidelines are narrowly focused, principles tend to be more
fundamental, widely applicable, and enduring. However, they also tend to need
more clarification.
Users skill levels
Novice or first time users

Knowledgeable intermittent users
Expert frequent users
Identify the tasks
Task frequency
Task sequence
Interaction styles
Direct manipulation
Menu selection
Form fillin
Command language
Natural language
Eight golden rules
Strive for consistency

Cater universal usability
Design dialogs to yield closure
Error prevention
Permit easy reversal of actions
Support internal locus of control
Reduce short-term memory load
Principles
Correct actions
Complete sequences
Prevent Errors
Figure 2.3: Fundamental Principles
19
There are differences in users background knowledge, training in the use of

the system, frequency of use, and goals as well as in the impact of a user error.
Since no single design could satisfy all these users and situations, successful
designers must characterize their users and the situations in which their products
will be used as precisely and completely as possible [50].
2.3.1 Determine Users Skill Levels

All designs should begin with an understanding of the intended users,
including population profiles that reflect age, gender, physical and cognitive
abilities, education, cultural or ethnic background, training, motivation, goals, and
personality.[22]
The process of getting to know the users is never - ending because there is so
much to know and because the users keep changing. Every step in understanding
the users and in recognizing them as individuals with outlooks different from the
designers own is likely to be a step closer to a successful design.
A generic separation into novice or first- time, knowledgeable intermittent
and expert frequent users might lead to these differing design goals [14]:
Novice or first time users. To overcome this problem, via instructions, dialog
boxes, and online help, are a series challenge to the designer of the interface. The
number of actions should also be small, so that novice and first - time users can
carry out simple tasks successful and thus reduce anxiety, build confidence, and
gain positive reinforcement. Error messages should be provided when users make
mistakes. Carefully designed manuals, video demonstrations, and task oriented
online tutorials may be effective.
Knowledgeable intermittent users. Consistent sequences of actions, meaningful
messages, and guides to frequent patterns of usage will help knowledgeable
intermittent users to rediscover how to perform their tasks properly. These
20
features will also help novices and some experts, but the major beneficiaries are
knowledgeable intermittent users. Protection from danger is necessary to support
relaxed exploration of features or usage of partially forgotten action sequences.
These users will benefit from context-dependent help to fill in missing pieces of
task or interface knowledge .Well- organized reference manuals are also useful.
Expert frequent users. Expert power users are thoroughly familiar with task and
interface concepts and seek to get their work done quickly. They demand rapid
response times, brief and non-distracting feedback, and the shortcuts to carry out
actions with just a few keystrokes or selections. Strings of commands, shortcuts
through menus, abbreviations, and other accelerators are requirements.
2.3.2 Identify the Tasks

After carefully drawing the user profile, the developers must identify the
tasks to be carried out. Every designer would agree that the set of tasks must be
determined before design can proceed, but too often the task analysis is done
informally or implicitly [22].
Task analysis helps designers to understand task frequencies and sequences
and make the tough decisions about what tasks to support.
High level task actions can be decomposed into multiple middle-level task
actions, which can be further refined into atomic actions that users execute with
single command, menu selection, and so on. Choosing the most appropriate set of
atomic actions is a difficult task. If the atomic actions are too small, the users will
become frustrated by the large number of actions necessary to accomplish a
higher-level task. If the atomic actions are too large and elaborate, the users will
need many such actions with special options, or they will not be able to get exactly
what they want from the system [3].
21
2.3.3 Choose an Interaction Styles

When the task analysis is completed and the task objects and actions have
been identified, the designer can choose one of the following interaction styles;
direct manipulation, menu selection, form fill in, command language, and natural
language. Direct manipulation interaction style was chosen for the developed
project of this thesis [4].
Direct manipulation. An interaction style in which objects are represented and
manipulated in a manner similar to the real word [14]. By pointing at visual
representations of objects and actions, users can carry out tasks rapidly and can
observe the results immediately. This type of interaction is appealing to novices,
is easy to remember for intermittent users, and with careful design can be rapid
for frequent users.
Advantages
- Visually present task concepts
- Allows easy learning
Disadvantages
- May be hard to program
- May require graphics display and
pointing devices
- Allows easy retention

- Allows errors to be avoided
- Encourages exploration
- Affords high subjective satisfaction
Menu selection. In menu-selection systems, users read a list of items, select the
one most appropriate to their task, and observe the effect. If the terminology and
meaning of the items are understandable and distinct, users can accomplish their
tasks with little learning or memorization and just a few actions. This interaction
style is appropriate for novice and intermittent users and can be appealing to
frequent users if the display and selection mechanisms are rapid.
22
Advantages
- Shortens learning
- Reduces keystrokes
- Structures decision making
- Permits use of dialog-management
tools
- Allows easy support of error
handling
- Affords high subjective satisfaction
Disadvantages
- Presents danger of many menus
- May slow frequent users
- Consumes screen space
- Requires rapid display rate
Form fill-in. When data entry is required, menu selection alone usually becomes
cumbersome, and form fill-in (also called fill in the blanks) is appropriate. Users
see a display of related fields, move a curser among the fields, and enter data
where desired. With the form fill-in interaction style, users must understand the
field labels, know the permissible values and data-entry method, and be capable
of responding to error messages. Since knowledge of the keyboard, labels, and
permissible fields is required, some training may be necessary. This interaction
style is most appropriate for knowledgeable intermittent users or frequent users.
Advantages
Disadvantages
- Simplifies data entry
- Consumes screen space
- Requires modest training
- Gives convenient assistance
- Permits use of from-management
tools
Command language. For frequent users, command languages provide a strong
feeling of being in control. Users learn the syntax and can often express complex
possibilities rapidly, without having to read distracting prompts. However, error
rates are typically high, training is necessary, and retention may be poor. Error
messages and online assistance are hard to provide because of the diversity of
23
possibilities and the complexity of mapping from tasks to interface concepts and
syntax.
Advantages
- Is flexible
- Appeals to power users
Disadvantages
- Has poor error handling
- Requires substantial
memorization
training
and
- Support user initiative

- Allows convenient creation of
user-defined macro
Natural language. Natural language interaction effectiveness and advantages
are limited, mainly because of habitability issues. Natural language support has
success in text searching, text generation, extraction, and some instructional
systems [22].
Advantages
Disadvantages
- Relieves burden of learning - Requires clarification dialog
syntax
- May not show context
- May require more keystrokes
- Is unpredictable
2.3.4 Use the Eight Golden Rules of Interface Design

The eight principles, called Golden Rules are applicable to most interactive
systems. These principles as listed below derived from experience and refined over
two decades and have been well received as a useful guide to students and
designers [4].
- Strive for consistency. Following this rule can be tricky because there are many
forms of consistency. Consistent sequences of actions should be required in
similar situations; identical terminology should be used in prompts, menus, and
24
help screens; and consistent color, layout, capitalization, fonts, and so on should
be employed throughout.
- Cater for universal usability. Recognize the needs of diverse users. Noviceexpert differences, age ranges, disabilities, and technology diversity each
enriches the spectrum of requirements that guide design.
- Offer informative feedback. For every user action, there should be system
feedback. Visual presentation of the objects of interest provides a convenient
environment for showing changes explicitly.
- Design dialogs to yield closure. Sequences of actions should be organized into
groups with a beginning, middle, and end. The informative feedback at the
completion of a group of actions shows the user their activity has completed
successfully.
- Error prevention. Design the system so that users cannot make serious errors. If
the user makes an error, the interface should detect the error and offer a simple
recovery. Incorrect actions should leave the system state unchanged and give the
possibility to restoring the state.
- Permit easy reversal of actions. Actions should be reversible. This feature
relieves from anxiety, since the user knows that errors can be undone, thus
encouraging exploration of unfamiliar options.
- Support internal locus of control. Experienced users strongly desire the sense
that they are in charge of the interface and the interface responds to their actions.
Surprising system actions, tedious sequences of data entries, inability or
difficulty in obtaining necessary information, and inability to produce the action
desired all build anxiety and dissatisfaction.
- Reduce short-term memory load. A famous study suggests that humans can store
only 7 (plus or minus 2) pieces of information in their short term memory.
25
Designers can reduce short term memory load by keeping display simple,
reducing window-motion frequency and sufficient training and on line help [3].
2.3.5 Prevent Errors

One way to reduce the loss in productivity due to errors is to improve the
error messages provided by the interface. Better error messages can raise success
rates in repairing the errors, lowering future error rates, and increasing subjective
satisfaction. Superior error messages are more specific, positive in tone, and
constructive (telling the user what to do, rather than merely reporting the problem).
A more effective approach is to prevent the errors from occurring; this could
be done by two techniques correct actions and complete sequences [4]. Correct
action techniques can be applied by graying out in appropriate actions or allow
selection rather than freestyle typing and offer automatic completion while
complete sequences offer a sequence of steps as a single action.
2.4 Theories
A theory, taxonomy or a model is an abstraction of reality; it goes beyond
the specifics of guidelines and builds on the breadth of principles. A good theory
should be understandable; produce similar conclusions for all how use it, and help
to solve specific practical problems.
Some theories are descriptive and explanatory; these theories are helpful to
observe behavior, describe activity, conceive of designs, compare high-level
concepts of two designs, and training. Other theories are predictive [22]; these
theories enable designers to compare proposed designs for execution time or error
rates.
26
A motor-task performance is a way to group theories; these theories are

helpful to predict key stroke or point times. Other theories are
perceptual or
cognitive subtasks theories these theories predicting readings times for free text,
lists, or formatted displays one.
A variety of reliable and broadly applicable theories are beginning to emerge
for user interface (levels of analysis theories, stages-of-action models, GOMS and
the keystroke level model, consistency through grammars, widget level theories,
context of use theories) [46].
2.5 Object-Action Interface Model

The OAI model is a descriptive and explanatory model that focuses on task
and interface objects and actions. Because the syntactic details are minimal, users
who know the task-domain objects and actions can learn the interface relatively
easily.
The OAI model also reflects in the higher level of design with which most
designers deal when they use the widgets in user interface building tools. The
standard widgets have familiar and simple syntax (click, double click, drag, or
drop) and simple forms of feedback (highlighting, scrolling, or movement), leaving
designers free to focus on how these widgets create a business-oriented solution.
The OAI model is in harmony with the common software-engineering
method of object-oriented design [14].
2.5.1 Task Hierarchies of Objects and Actions

The primary way people deal with large and complex problems is to
decompose them into several smaller problems, in a hierarchical manner, until each
sub problem is manageable.
27
Tasks include hierarchies of objects and actions at high and low levels.
Hierarchies are comprehensible and useful. Most users accept a separation of their
tasks into high and low-level objects and actions as shown in Figure 2.4 [4].
universe
metaphor
intention
atoms
Objects
steps
pixels
Actions
Objects
Task
plan
clicks
Actions
Interface
Figure 2.4; Task and interface concepts, separated into hierarchies of objects and
actions.
2.5.2 Interface Hierarchies of Objects and Actions

Once there is agreement on the task objects and actions and their
decomposition, the designer can create the metaphoric representations of the
interface objects and actions. Interface objects do not have weight or thickness;
they are pixels that can be moved or copied in ways that represent real-world task
objects with feedback to guide users.
The final step is that designer must make the interface actions visible to
users, so that users can decompose their plans into a series of intermediate actions,
such as opening a dialog box, all the way down to a series of detailed keystrokes
and clicks.
28
2.5.3 The Disappearance of Syntax

In the early days of computers, users had to maintain a profusion of devicedependent details in their human memories, minimizing them is the goal of most
interface designers. Modern direct-manipulation styles support the process of
presenting users with screens filled with familiar objects and actions. Modern userinterface building tools facilitate the design process by making standard widgets
easily available. Innovative designers may recognize opportunities for novel
widgets that provide a closer match between the screen representation and the
users workplace.
2.6 LUCID Development Methodology

Successful developers work carefully to understand the business needs and
refine their skills in eliciting accurate requirements from non-technical business
managers.
However, many software development projects fail to achieve their goals.
Some estimates of the failure rate put it as high as 60%. Much of this problem can
be traced to poor communication between developers and the users [4].
In addition, business managers may lack the technical knowledge to
understand proposals made by the developers, dialog is necessary to reduce
confusions about the organizational implications of design decisions.
The Logical User-Centered Interactive Design (LUCID) methodology
identifies six stages to facilitate effective collaboration among teams that includes
both business and technical participants. These stages are listed in Table 2.1 [4].
29
Stage
Description
Envision
- Align the agendas of all stakeholders, balancing the needs to meet

business objectives, manage technical constraints and support
users needs for a highly usable product.
- Develop a clear, shared product vision among the stockholders.
- Identify and deal with potential problems that could impair the
development teams ability to collaborate effectively.
- Begin the design process at a concept sketch level.
Discovery - Develop a clear understanding of the characteristics of each distinct
segment of the products users.
- Understand the tasks users perform, the information they need, the
terminology they use, their priorities and their mental models.
- Analyze the data gathered and create the products user
requirements.
Design
- Develop and validate the basic conceptual design of the product.
- Develop a visual look for the product.
Foundation
- Present the completed design as a key screen prototype.
Design
Detail
Build
Release
- Complete a style guide containing both the graphic design and UI

policy decisions.
- Flesh out the high- level design into a complete specification.
- Conduct usability evaluation of critical screens or work flows.
- Create detailed layouts for each screen and detailed specifications
for each element of each screen.
- Answer questions and support developers during coding,
redesigning screens if needed.
- Conduct usability evaluation of critical screens, if necessary.
- Support the build process through review and late-stage change
management.
- Develop a rollout plan to support the new product.
- Conduct usability evaluation of the out of the box or installation
experience.
- Measure user satisfaction.
Table 2.1; Logical User-Centered Interaction design Methodology (from Cognetics

Cooperation, Princeton Junction, NJ).
30
As a management strategy, LUCID focuses on users needs and

requirements and highlights the role of usability engineering in software
development by focusing on activities, deliverables, and reviews. At each of the
LUCID stages there are specified deliverables and timely feedback through
reviews, for components such as:
- Product definition: high concept for managers and marketers
- Business case: pricing, expected revenues, return on investment, competition
- Resources: duration, effort levels, team members, back up plans.
- Physical environment: ergonomic design, physical installation, communication
lines.
- Technical environment: hardware and software for development and integration.
- Users: multiple communities for interviews, user testing, and marketing.
- Functionality: services provided to users
- Prototype: early paper prototypes, key screens, running prototypes.
- Usability: set measurable goals, conduct tests, refine interface and goals.
- Design guidelines: modify existing guidelines, implement review process.
-Content Material: identify and acquire copy righted text, audio, and video.
- Documentation, training and help: specify, develop, and test paper, video, and
online versions.
The success of the LUCID framework comes from its validation and
refinement in multiple projects. The templates and techniques it provides help
design team structure their activities and deliverables. While LUCID is designed to
promote an orderly process, with iterations within a stage and predictable progress
between stages, the framework will need to be adapted to the realities of specific
projects and organizations. And while the concept of flow from stage to stage is a
useful structure for organizing user-centric design activities, some projects may
31
require the design team to back up and redo earlier stages if elements of the
product concept change dramatically [3,39].
32
CHAPTER THREE
SOFTWARE TOOLS, EXPERT
REVIEWS AND USABILITY
TESTING
Chapter Three; SOFTWARE TOOLS, EXPERT REVIEWS AND USABILITY TESTING
CHAPTER THREE
SOFTWARE TOOLS, EXPERT REVIEWS AND
USABILITY TESTING
3.1 Introduction
The demands of modern life require user-interface architects to build
reliable, standard, safe, inexpensive, effective, and widely acceptable user interface
on a predictable schedule. Building and user-interface architects must have simple
and quick methods of sketching to give their clients a way to identify needs and
preferences [8]. They also need precise methods for working out the details with
clients, for coordinating with specialized colleagues, and for telling the
craftspeople what to do[4].
This chapter begins with the software-engineering tools. SIMATIC WinCC
HMI is selected as a software tool. Second the standard SCADA screens or pages
are presented. Then Data Base-Management System is discussed. Finally, a variety
of expert review methods, usability tests, surveys, and acceptance tests are
presented.
3.2 Software-Engineering Tools

Software tools are increasingly graphical in their user interfaces, enabling
designers and programmers to build interfaces, rapidly by dragging components
and linking functions together. User interfaces building tools have matured rapidly
in the past few years and have radically changed the nature of software
development [36]. Productivity gains of 50 to 500% about previous methods have
34
been documented for many standards graphical user interfaces (GUIs)[4]. But,
even as the power tools for established styles improve and gain acceptance, the
need remains for programmers to handcraft novel interface styles.
Experienced programmers sometimes build user interfaces with generalpurpose programming languages such as Java, C#, or C++, but this approach is
giving way to using facilities that are specially tuned to user-interface development
and web access [36]. Choosing among them is sometimes a complex and confusing
task, due to the lack of uniform terminology used to describe the tools and their
features.
There are a large number of tools available for building user interfaces.
Table 3.1 lists the four software layers that can be used to build a user interface and
their associated interactive tools [4].
Software Layers
4. Application
Visual Tools
Model-Based Building Tools
3. Application Framework /
Specialized Language
2. GUI Toolkit
Conceptual Building Tools
1. Windowing System
Resources Editor
Interface Builder
Examples
Microsoft Access, Sybase
power Designer
Macromedia Director, Tcl/Tk,
Microsoft MFC
Eclipse, Borland J Builder,
Microsoft Visual Studio
Microsoft Win32/GDI+ Apple
Quartz
Table 3.1: The four software layers available to build a user interface, their related
visual tools, and examples of popular tools at each level.
The higher software level tools, application layer tools, are interface
generators, and sometimes called user-interface management systems or modelbased building tools. Most if not all of an application can be built quickly using
these visual tools. However, these tools are currently available only for a small
class of applications [49].
35
Layer three tools include specialized languages or application frameworks.

These are software architectures specially designed for building graphical user
interface (GUIs). Compared to layer four tools, they provide almost no support for
nongraphical part of application. At this layer, a key distinction is how extensively
the software-engineering tool uses convenient visual programming, a relatively
simple scripting language (event or object oriented), or a more powerful generalpurpose programming language [48].
The terminology for GUI toolkits, layer two, varies depending on the
vendor. Popular terms for these toolkits include Rapid Prototype, Rapid
Application Developer, User Interface Builder, and User Interface Development
Environment. This layer provides software libraries and widgets as building blocks
but requires extensive programming to connect these components to each other and
to the non-GUI part of application [4].
The layer one windowing system tools require extensive programming by
experienced software engineers and offer little support from interactive tools [4].
3.3 Criteria of Finding the Right Design Tool

The advantages of specialized user interface software tools for designers and
software engineers are large, and the promises of improved tools required that
designers and programmers stay informed of and make fresh choices for each
project. Finding the right tool is a tradeoff between six main criteria [4]:
Part of the application is built using the tools. Some tools only support
building the presentation part of the application; others also help with lowlevel interaction, and some support general programming mechanisms usable
in other parts of the application as well.
Learning time. The time required to learn the tools varies.
Building time. The time required to build a user interface using the tool varies.
36
Methodology imposed or advised. Some tools strongly impose a methodology

for building the application, such as building the visual part first and
connecting it to the remainder of the application afterwards, whereas other
tools are more flexible.
Communication with other subsystems. Applications frequently uses
databases, files located on the web, or other resources that, when supported by
the building tool, simplify the development.
Extensibility and modularity. Applications evolve, and new applications may
want to reuse parts of existing applications. Supporting the evolution and
reuse of software remains a challenge. Level four tools and application
framework inherently promote good software organization, but the others
usually lead to poor extensibility and modularity.
Tool price is an important criteria, because it is usually negligible compared to
the cost of good designers and engineers. Furthermore, there is a growing trend to
distribute free tools suitable for building standard GUIs. Tables 3.2 summarize the
six criteria applied to the software layers [4].
Regardless of the tools used to design the user interface, designing for good
usability has important implications for the quality and complexity of software
development. Separating the user interface from the remainder of the application
has been quite successful and is now standard practice in interactive system
development. This separation makes it easier to make modifications to the user
interface without changing the internals and to maintain multiple views of
application data and facilitates cross-platform development, which makes it easier
to generate interfaces for standard platform families (Windows, Macintosh, and
UNIX) [16].
37
Part of the
Layer application
built
4
All for a
specific
Presentation,
interaction
Learning Building Methodology

time
time
imposed or
advised
Long
Short
Specification
first, then
visual, then
programming
(if required)
Short
Short
Visual first
(days)
Presentation,
interaction
Long
(weeks)
Long
All
Very
long
(months)
Very
long
Visual first
with tools,
none
otherwise
None
Communication
with other
subsystems
Very good for
the specific
domain of the
tool
Extensibility
and
modularity
Very good
Depends on the
tool
Good
Languages:
Bad
Frameworks:
Good
Medium\
good
Very good
Very bad
Table 3.2: Comparison between six features of design tools (horizontal) depending
on the software layer (vertical)
3.4 SIMATIC WinCC HMI

SIMATIC WinCC HMI is a user interface management tool developed at
SIEMENS AG, 2000. It offers complete operating, control and monitoring
functionalities in Windows and XP for all sectors-from simple single user systems
up to distributed multiple station systems with redundant servers and cross-site
solutions with Web clients [44]. It also used to visualize the process and develop
the graphic user interface for the operator.
WinCC allows the operator to observe the process. The process is displayed
graphically on the screen. The display is updated each time a status in the
process changes.
WinCC allows the operator to control the process by predefining set points
from the graphic user interface [44].
38
An alarm will automatically signal in the event of a critical process status. If a

predefined limit value is exceeded, a message will appear on the screen.
Process values can either be printed or electronically archived. This facilitates
the documentation of the process and allows subsequent access to past
production data [44].
3.4.1 WinCC Advanced Features

WinCC uses ANSI C, which gives flexibility to perform simple and complex
tasks. C code can be generated by a wizard or written manually, it is implemented
in the graphics designer or on both object properties and events [44].
Visual Basic Script 6.3 (VBS) is fully integrated as a primary scripting
language in WinCC complete with debugging and easy to use object model. VBS
is implemented on both object properties and event in the graphics designer, as
well as having its own Global Scripts editor for project functions and actions. Also,
VBS can be used for traditional HMI tasks or to create more complex scripts such
as database access (ADO) or Excel worksheet generation [44].
Visual Basic for Application (VBA) has been fully integrated into WinCCs
Graphics Designer as an engineering tool for configuration. VBA can be used to
automate respective engineering tasks, such as generating objects, tags, scripts,
alarms, and screens [44]. With VBA, custom forms and wizards can be created to
perform almost any task. However, the Graphical Designer can even customized
by adding customized menus. WinCC has been built on SQL server 2000 to
provide a powerful engine for Alarm, Tag Logging, and Recipe Archives [44].
Indirect addressing is a WinCC another feature that allows dynamic change
the tag assigned to a particular object while in runtime. On the other hand WinCC
Tag Prefix feature combines Structure Tags and Picture Window object to provide
an efficient engineering tool for equipment display popups or control screens. In
39
runtime, the combination of the structure tag name and the member name on the
object will provide the full I/O name for the object [44].
3.4.2 WinCC Traditional HMI Tasks

WinCC encompasses traditional HMI tasks and many time-saving features
as well. It is allowed to develop quickly and easy to maintain the applications.
WinCC supports the following HMI tasks [44]:
- Graphics: An active X container with thousands of library Symbols and Smart
Objects, VBA, On-line Changes, Panning, Zooming, Layering, Tool Tips
and other features provided with faster development times with more
intuitive interface [44].
- Alarming: Wizard configuration, Alarm Sorting, Alarm Enabling / Disabling and
individual
operator
comments
provide a comprehensive Alarm
Management System. Multiple alarm levels on a single tag provide

simpler alarm development [44].
- Trending: Wizard configuration and independent scaling provide the WinCC user
with a full featured historical and real time trending utility. WinCCs
trending support exporting data to formats like CSV that make the
information readable by off-line tools such as Microsoft Excel [44].
- Security: WinCC supports levels of security. Operator access to specific screens
or objects on screen can be prohibited. Individual actions such as recipe
download can be password protected as well. When using internet
Browser to view the application, firewall software is supported [44].
- OPC: WinCC can act as an OPC Client and an OPC Server. As an OPC Client,
WinCC can perform HMI tasks for hundreds of third-party control
devices. As an OPC Server, WinCC can provide tag information
upstream to various MES applications.
40
- Drivers: WinCC supports native channel drivers for the most popular PLCs.
- Reports: A built in Report Designer supplies templates for creating shift reports,
production reports, alarm reports and others.
- Cross-Reference: WinCC provides a cross-reference utility for quickly searching
and replacing tags during development. The cross-reference utility
includes a built-in project documenter for keeping records on entire
application[44].
- Multi Languages: WinCC supports multiple languages during runtime and
development. Runtime support for any window-based language fonts
enables true Global language capabilities [44].
3.5 SCADA Screens

SCADA HCI must be capable of displaying system information in two
formats Tabular and graphical. These two formats are broken into pages (or
screens) in an easy way to explain and understood manner. These pages include
schematic, database, alarm/event, report, and operator pages as described below.
3.5.1 Schematic Pages

Schematic Pages give the operator a graphical model of the plant. They
comprise graphical symbols that can be linked to an element to be monitored and
controlled [1]. The real-time measurements of the element are displayed next to
their graphical symbol. Standard symbols are used in these pages
The state of the point is not written in longhand but is shown as visual
effects like color change, shape change, symbol change, and/or flashing. It is of
course impossible to display all real-time values of the system on schematic pages,
only the most important ones are displayed there [38]. Also it is not possible to
address all values that may affect the point state, so even though the point state is
known, the cause of putting the point in such a state is unknown.
41
3.5.2 Database Pages

The same information contained in the schematic pages can be translated
into tabular format in database pages. Database pages are so called since the HCI
builds the page entirely from system database. System database contains all
elements of the system, hence elements that are not displayed in schematic pages
can be found in database pages. Moreover, all information related to an element is
displayed in these pages [20].
The status of the point is shown through changing the text that mentions that
state. Colors and flashing are used also to enhance state visualization.
The database pages do not help the operator to relate points to system
configuration, but it does help him to find detailed information about the system.
3.5.3 Alarm/Event Pages

A SCADA system must be able to detect, display, and log system alarms and
events. Alarms identify system failures while events identify system changes. The
change can be caused by a control operation made by the operators to the plant or
an actual state change that occurs in the plant.
Alarm/Event pages display all alarms and events that occur in the system in
a tabular format. Every time the system generates an alarm (or event) a message
will be added at the bottom of the Table. This message contains useful information
about the alarm (or event) like the location of the alarm, the date and time of alarm
occurrence, and the type of event that caused the alarm [1]. Colors, flashing, and
audible alerts are all used to notify the operators of alarm occurrence.
Alarms and events must be recorded so that operator can review them in the
future. This will help the operator to determine which device fails repeatedly, what
the most popular alarms are, and what system part should be maintained. Through
using Historical pages (of alarms and events) the operator can display all alarms
and events that occurred during a certain period of time (usually one day) within a
configurable time interval (1 month, 2 months ).
42
3.5.4 Report Pages

As the Alarm/Event pages have their own archive facility and display
information upon request, the SCADA system provides the same facility to analog
readings also. Report pages are where the operator can display the analog reading
through certain period of time and within a configurable interval. Report pages can
be displayed in two different ways [23]:
- Report Tables; Report Tables display analog readings versus time in a tabular
format.
- Trends; Trends display analog readings versus time in a graphical format and
via a trending chart.
3.5.5 Operator Pages

Operator Pages contain information related to the operators not to the
SCADA system or to the plant. These pages include:
- Operator Existence Pages; Operator Existence Pages contain information
about which operator is responsible for monitoring the system and at which
time. Only operators supervisors can edit the contents of these pages.
- Operator Note Pages; Operator Note Pages contain operators notes about the
plant and any other useful notes.
3.6 Database Management System

A Data Base-Management System (DBMS) is a collection of interrelated
data and set of programs to access those data. The collection of data, usually
referred to as the database, contains information relevant to an enterprise. The
primary goal of a DBMS is to provide a way to store and retrieve database
information that is both convenient and efficient.
Database systems are designed to manage large bodies of information.
Management of data involves both defining structures for storage of information
and providing mechanisms for the manipulation of information. In addition, the
database system must insure the safety for information stored, despite system
43
crashes or attempts at unauthorized access. If data are to be shared among several

users, the system must be avoiding possible anomalous results. Any user interface
deals with some kind of database. It is important to expose custom and legacy data
in a standard and more manageable way.
3.6.1 SQL Server

The SQL Server 2000 relational database engine is a modern, highly
scalable, and reliable engine for storing data. The database engine stores data in
tables. Each table represents some object of interest to the plant. Each table has
columns that represent an attribute of the object modeled by the table and rows that
represent a single occurrence of the type of object modeled by the table [45].
Applications can submit Structured Query Language (SQL) statements to the
database engine, which returns the results to the application in the form of a tabular
result set. The specific dialect of SQL supported by SQL Server is called TransactSQL.
3.6.2 ActiveX Data Object

ActiveX Data Object (ADO) is the latest in a long series of Microsoft Data
Access Component (MDAC), and it effectively supersedes the old Data Access
Object (DAO) and Remote Data Object (RDO). ActiveX Data Object is
application level interface with a consistent design across many programming
environments. It offers access to Jet data, traditional remote data sources, and new
data sources such as e-mail and file directory systems. ActiveX Data Object is the
recommended programming interface to develop applications that acts as Object
Linking and Embedded Data Base (OLEDB) consumers. Through ADO it is easy
to code but is still slower than OLEDB [1].
44
3.7 Evaluating Interface Designs

Evaluation is a general term for determination of the significance, worth,
condition, or value of something of interests by careful appraisal and study [14].
Evaluation is basically ongoing process. Figure 3.1 depicts the central role of
evaluation during assistance development.
Requirements
Specification
Implementation
Prototyping
Task analysis/
Function analysis
Evaluation
Conceptual
Design
Visual Design
Figure 3.1: Evaluation as the center of system development.
The range of evaluation plans might be from an ambitious two-year test with
multiple phases for life critical projects to a three-day test with six users for small
projects. The range of costs might be from 20% of a project down to 5% [14].
3.7.1 Expert Reviews

A natural starting point for evaluating new or revised interfaces is to ask
colleagues or customers for their feedback. Such informal demos with tests
subjects can provide some useful feedback, but more formal expert reviews have
proven to be far more effective [39].
45
These methods depend on having experts (whose expertise may be in the

application or user-interface domains) available on staff or as consultants. Expert
reviews can then be conducted on short notice and rapidly.
Expert reviews can occur early or late in the design phase. The outcome can
be a formal report with problems identified or recommendations for changes. The
reviewers note possible problems for discussions with the designers but solutions
generally should be left to the designers to produce [4]. Expert reviews usually
take from half a day to one week, although a lengthy training period may be
required to explain the task domain or operational procedures. Different experts
tend to find different problems in an interface, so 3-5 expert reviewers can be
highly productive [4]. There are a variety of expert-review methods from which to
choose:
Heuristic evaluation, Guidelines reviews, Consistency inspection,
Cognitive walkthrough, Formal usability inspection.

In this thesis a comparison between these methods has been done which is
shown in Table 3.3 and according to the features which is discussed in the table, a
decision was made to use the cognitive walkthrough evaluation method. The
following is a brief discussion of this method;
Cognitive walkthrough. The experts simulate users walking through the
interface to carry out typical tasks. High-frequency tasks are a starting point,
but rare critical tasks, such as error recovery, also should be walked through.
Some form of simulating the day in the life of the user should be part of the
expert- review process. Cognitive walkthroughs were developed for interfaces that can be learned by exploratory browsing [53], but they are useful
even for interfaces that require substantial training.
46
Life Cycle
Stage
System
Status
Environ. of Real Users

Evaluation Participation
User Tasks
Used
Main
Advantage
Main
Disadvantage
Heuristic
evaluation
Any stage;
early ones
benefit most
Any status
(mock-up
prototype,
final
product)
Any
None
None
Finds individual
problems; can
address expert
user issues
Does not
involve real
users and thus
may not find
problems
related to real
uses in real
context; dose
not link to
users tasks
Guideline
preview
Any stage;
early ones
benefit most
Any status
Any
None
None
Finds individual Does not

problems
involve real
users; does not
link to users
tasks
Cognitive
walk-through
Any stage;
early ones
benefit most
Any status
Any
None
Yes, need to
identify tasks
first
Less expensive
Does not
involve real
users; limited to
experts review
Consistency
inspection
Any stage
Any status
Any
None
Yes, need to
identify tasks
first
Direct link to
user tasks;
structured with
fewer steps to
go through
Does not
involve real
users; limited to
the tasks
identified
Survey
Any stage
Any status
Any
Yes, a lot
Yes or no
Finds subjective
reactions; easy
to conduct and
compare
Questions need
to be well
designed; need
large sample
Interview
Task analysis Mock-up

prototype
Any
Yes
None
Flexible, indepth probing
Timeconsuming;
hard to
analyzed and
compare
Lab experiment Design,

Prototype,
implement, or final
use
product
Lab
Yes
Yes, most time

artificially
designed to
mimic real
tasks
Provides factbased
measurements;
results easy to
compare
Requires
facility, setup,
and expertise
Field study
Design,
Prototype,
with
implement, or final
observation and use
product
monitoring
Real work
setting
Yes
None
Easy applicable; Observation

reveal users
may effect user
real tasks; can behavior
high light
difficulties in
real use
Table 3.3; Comparison between evaluation methods
47
An expert might try the walkthrough privately and explore the system, but
there also should be a group meeting with designers, users or managers, to
conduct the walkthrough and provoke discussions. Extensions to cover
website navigation incorporate richer descriptions of users and their goals
plus linguistic analysis program to estimate the similarity of link labels and
destinations [10].
3.7.2 Expert-Reviews Report

An expert review report should be comprehensive, rather than making
comments about specific features, or presenting a random collection of suggested
improvements by [4]:
Guidelines documents might be used to structure the report, then comment on
novice, intermittent, and expert features and review consistency across all
displays.
Theory or model, such as object-action interface model (described in section
2.5) might be used to organize the report.
Recommendations must be ranked by importance and expected effort level so
the organizations are more likely to implement them (or at least the highpayoff, low-cost ones).
Experts reviewer should also include required small fixes such as spelling
mistakes, poorly aligned data-entry fields, or inconsistent button placements.
A final category includes less vital fixes and novel features that can be
addressed in the next version of the interface.
Experts reviewer may also used software tools to speed their analyses,
especially with large interfaces. These tools usually provide specific
instructions for improvements.
48
3.8 Usability Definition

International Standard Organization (ISO) defines usability as The extent to
which the product can be used by specified users to achieve specified goals with
effectiveness, efficiency, and satisfaction in a specified context of use [8], where
product is taken to mean a computerized system with given functionality.
3.8.1 Usability Testing and Laboratories

At each design stage, the interface can be refined iteratively and the
improved version can be tested. It is important to fix quickly even small flaws,
such as spelling errors or inconsistent layout, since they influence user
expectations [51]. Usability testing produced dramatic cost savings thus the
movement towards usability testing stimulate the construction of usability
laboratories. A typical modest usability lab would have two 3 by 3 meter areas, one
for the participants to do their work and another, separated by a half-silvered
mirror, for the testers and observers [22]. Participants should be chosen to
represent the intended user communities. Many variants forms of usability testing
have been tried: Paper mockups, Discount usability testing, Competitive usability
testing, Universal usability testing, Field tests and portable labs, Remote usability
testing, Can- you- break- this test.
In this thesis the decision was made to choose competitive usability testing
form since this testing approach compares a new interface to previous versions or
similar products from competitors. This approach is close to controlled
experimental study, and staff must be careful to construct parallel sets of tasks and
to counterbalance the order of presentation of the interfaces. Within-subjects
designs seem the most powerful, because participant can make comparisons
49
between the competing interfaces fewer participants are needed, although each is
needed for a longer time period [4].
3.8.2 Limitations of Usability Testing

Usability testing does have at least two series limitations. It emphasizes firsttime usage since usability tests are usually only one to three hours long, it is
difficult to ascertain how performance will be after a week or a month of regular
usage [14]. Also, some believe that realistic test environments are necessary to
evaluate information appliances, and ambient technologies.
3.9 Survey and Questionnaire

Surveys are a well-established technique for collecting demographic data
and users opinions. Efforts and skill are needed to insure that questions are clearly
worded and the data collected can be analyzed efficiently [4]. This technique is
familiar, inexpensive and generally acceptable companion for usability tests and
expert reviews. The keys to successful survey are clear goals in advance and
development of focused items that help to attain those goals.
Surveys start by asking for basic demographic information, such as age,
gender, and past experience. This background information is useful in finding out
the range within the sample group.
Survey goals can be tied to the components of the OAI model of interface
design (Section 2.5). That is, users can be asked for their subjective impressions
about specific aspects of the interface, such as the representation of:
Task domain objects and actions.
Interface domain metaphors and action handles.
Syntax of inputs and design of displays.
50
3.9.1 Questionnaire for User Interaction Satisfaction (QUIS)

This questionnaire technique is based on the early versions of the OAI
model and covers interface details, such as readability of characters and layout of
displays; interface objects, such as meaningfulness of icons; interface actions, such
as shortcuts for frequent users; and task issues, such as appropriate terminology
and screen sequencing [4].
Appendix C contains the long form, which is designed to have two levels of
questions: general and detailed. If participants are willing to respond to every item,
then the long form questionnaire can be used. If participants are not likely to be
patient, then only the general questions in the short form need to be asked.
3.10 Acceptance of the Test

Explicit acceptance criteria should be established when the requirements
document is written or when a contract is offered, rather than using the vague and
misleading criterion of user friendly. Measurable criteria for the user interface can
be established for the following [14]:
Time for users to learn specific functions
Speed of task performance
Rate of error by users
Users retention of commands over time
Subjective user satisfaction

In a large system, there may be eight to ten of such tests to carry out on
different components of the interface and with different user communities. Other
criteria, such as subjective satisfaction, output comprehensibility, system response
time, installation procedure, printed documentation, or graphic appeal, may also
considered in the acceptance of the tests of complete commercial products.
51
After successful acceptance testing, there may be a period of field testing

before national or international distribution.
3.11 Evaluation during Active Use

These evaluations happen when the system is released and is used by
targeted users in a real context. The purpose of these evaluations is to better
understand how the system impacts organizational, group, and individual tasks and
activities [22]. Such evaluations can further guide and change the design of future
systems. These evaluation techniques are out of the scope of this thesis.
52
CHAPTER FOUR
IMPLEMENTATION OF HCI
FOR SCADA SYSTEM
Chapter Four: IMPLEMENTATION OF HCI FOR SCADA SYSTEM
CHAPTER FOUR
IMPLEMENTATION OF HCI FOR SCADA SYSTEM
4.1 Introduction
Once all aspects of successful human computer interface development have
been specified, a SEMATIC WinCC HMI is used to design and implement human
computer interface and SCADA modules for electrical power generation system.
4.2 Case Study: The Electrical Power Generation System

Designing an effective and interactive human computer interface of the
supervisory control and data acquisition system (SCADA) for electrical power
generation stations has been selected as a case study in this thesis. The project
consists of similar twenty six electrical power generation stations distributed in
different sites all over Iraq as shown in Figure 4.1. These stations or sites are
supervised by a master station at Baghdad.
According to the software life cycle, the software requirements must be
defined before starting the design process of human computer interface. The
customer, National Dispatch Center (NDC), request to collect performance and
condition information on essential stations equipments, such as generators, feeders
and fuel, and stores the information for future reference. This time based data will
be used to perform specialized function and provide decision making guidance to
operators, maintains planer and engineering.
54
Figure 4.1: Locations of the electrical power generation stations
The requested information is classified as two categories, instant and daily

information as shown in Table 4.1 [2].
Information Type
Description
Instantaneous Information - Instantaneous power generated by stations generators.
- Instantaneous total power generated by each station.
Daily Information
- Pressure readings of stations generators.
- Generators temperature readings for all stations.
- Working hours for each station.
- Power generated frequency for each station.
- Stations fuel and oil levels.
- Generators working hours.
- Power readings of stations feeders.
Notes
- Allow operator to write a note during his work shift.
Table 4.1: Customer software requirements
In this thesis, an attempt is made, to design an effective and interactive

human computer interface (HCI) by following the Guidelines, Principles and
55
Theories stated in Chapter Two. In order to manage the design process the three
pillars shown in Figure 2.1 can help to produce an order of magnitude speedup in
the process and can facilitate the creation of excellent human computer interface.
The second pillar in the figure is the user interface software tools so the
decision is choosing the Simatic WinCC developed by Siemens Company as a user
interface management system (UIMS) to design the case study pages or screens
and thus the resultant HCI possesses standard features that already the Simatic
WinCC have.
An understanding of users skills with interfaces and with the application
domain is important as explained in section (2.3.1). For example, a generic
separation into novice or first-time, knowledgeable intermittent and expert frequent
users might lead to insert or omit some features to the user interface design.
Designing for one class is easy; designing for several is much more difficult [4]. In
this case study the users could be classified into two classes, Novice and Expert
frequent users, Novice users are distributed all over the 26 power generation
stations. Those users have low computer skills, intermediate education, so the basic
strategies is to permit a multi-layer (sometimes called level-structured or spiral)
approach to learning [6]. So there are three access levels to the proposed HMI of
the case study, operator, monitor and administrator. The highest level,
administrator, is allowed to the expert frequent users, working at the master station
at Baghdad, who have high computer skills and higher education in electrical,
computer and control engineering. This type of users has all the rights for
monitoring and controlling the plant.
In order to simplify expert frequent users job, a monitoring button is added
upon customer request (NDC) to allow a quick revision of the 26 power stations
readings. Also, a home button has been added to the main tool bar in order to allow
the administrator to switch from one station to another.
56
The novice users, operators, are only allowed to log in to the HMI pages or
screens of their stations except report, trend and system pages.
The accessing level privileges are defined by a user name and password in a
logging dialogue box. This logging procedure adds a security feature to the HMI
and protects the system from unauthorized access.
The proposed SCADA Master Station Software should be able to perform
the following activities: data receiving, data transmission, data processing, alarm
identifying, updating database, communicating with the operator, recording
historical data, and detecting hardware and software failures (Appendix A) [36].
Also SCADA HCI should be capable of display the system information in two
formats, tabular and graphical. These two formats are broken into pages in an
understood manner.
4.3 Communication System

The communications network is intended to provide the means by which
data can be transferred between the central host computer servers (master station at
Baghdad) and the field-based RTUs (at the 26 power generation stations). Very
Small Aperture Terminal (VSAT) modems are used to connect the remote sites to
the host, an on-line operation can also be implemented on this technology [2].
Very Small Aperture Terminal (VSAT) technology has advanced to the
point where a much smaller antenna (down to about one meter) can be used for
Ku-band communications. This has resulted in the Ku-band being preferred for
sites with modest communications requirements. VSAT technology is advancing
steadily, and the capital costs have dropped substantially. Continual time-of-use
charges must be considered in the use of satellite communications. Developments
in this area are investigated when making a decision on the use of this technology.
Table 4.2 shows the satellite system advantages and disadvantages [36].
57
Figure 4.2 depicts the configuration of the WANs-interconnected proposed

SCADA systems. Deployed over WANs, the system has a dedicated satellite link
service at master station with shared satellite link services at the 26 sites. All the
required servers, firewall and monitoring screens are located in the master station
and connected through Ethernet network [2].
Advantages
Wide area converge
Easy access to remote sites
Cost independence of distance
Low error rates
Adaptable to changing network Patterns
No right of- way necessary, earth stations
located at premises.
Disadvantages
Total dependency on a remote facility
Less control over transmission time delay
Transmission time delay
Reduced transmission during solar equinox
Continual leasing costs
Table 4.2: Advantages and disadvantages of satellite system
Figure 4.2: The communication system connecting the master station with the
electrical power generation stations
58
4.4 Master Station

The master station or central host computer is a network of computer servers
that provide a man-machine operator interface to the SCADA system. The
computers process the information received from and send to the RTU sites and
present it to human operators in a form that the operators can work with. Operator
terminals are connected to the central host computer by a LAN so that the viewing
screens and associated data can be displayed for the operators [2].
The SQL server is used for storing the online data that the 26th power
generation stations sent and all the data are archived. Moreover, there is a backup
SQL server connected to the network to make sure no loss of data [2].
4.5 Electrical Power Generation Station (field data interface devices)

Field data interface devices form the eyes and ears of a SCADA system [36].
Devices such as voltage and ampere meters, hours counter, oil pressure gauge, oil
pressure indicator, and so on all provide information that can tell an experienced
operator how well the power generating station is performing. In addition, buttons
such as on/off buttons can be used to form the hands of the SCADA system and
assist in automating the process of power generation status.
Figure 4.3: Communication description of power station [43].

59
Remote terminal units installed in electrical power generation stations

interconnect the master station computers system over the WANs. The electrical
power generation station RTUs provide the master station with on-line data at all
times using IP technology [2].
4.5.1 Power Station Specifications

Each of the electrical power generation stations contain eight generators
manufactured by SEDMO French Company and can generate electrical power up
to 9.6MW per station. The station site can be divided to the following sections or
zones [43];
- Engine - Alternator zone.
- Control and circuit barkers Cabinet.
- Fuel and Oil tanks zone.
The generator machine engines and the coupled alternators are controlled
and monitored by PLCs for each machine system. These PLCs are supervised by
a commander PLC which helps to start and rise up the electrical power generation
operation through touch pads and monitor operation status, events and alarms
through LCD display as shown in Figure 4.4 [43].
Figure 4.4: SEDMO Commander control panel.
60
Engine Control Unit (ECU), which is connected to the commander control

panel, features the following engine governing and control functions:
- Start sequence control.
- Speed governing.
- Acquisition of a load pulse signal for preparation of load connection.
- Adjustable speed drop.
Engine Control Unit ECU also performs the following monitoring tasks:
- Engine Oil pressure and temperature.
- Engine Coolant temperature.
- CR pressure.
- Nominal speed to allow operation as a 50 Hz generator set (i.e. generator
voltage frequency).
- Engine working hours.
- Transmission of all warnings and alarms to the monitoring and control
system.
- Automatic shutdown in case of limit value violation.
The defects that indicate alarms can be classified as mechanical and electrical
defects. These defects are as follows:
- Mechanical defects:
- Mechanical bearing; Excessive heating of main bearings.
- Abnormal temperature; Excessive heating of alternator housing.
- Vibration; Excessive vibration and noise coming from the machine.
- Electrical defects
- Absence of no-load voltage on start.
- Voltage is too low
- Voltage is too high.
- Voltage oscillation.
61
- Proper no-load voltage and excessively low load voltage.

- Loss of voltage during operation.
4.6 Defining SCADA Modules

The proposed SCADA software product consists of different modules as
shown in Figure 4.5. These modules can be classified into SCADA modules and
SCADA supporting programs as shown in Figure 4.6.
Graphic
Developer
Draw
Graphic
Designer
Application
Module
(VB Script)
DB Protocol
R/W
Read
.pld
.pld
.pld
file
file
file
SQL
Engine
System
Operator
RTU Module
(26 Module)
SCADA Module
HCI Module
ADO
OLE DB
OLE DB
ADO
System
(Shared)
DB
OLE DB
Archive
Engine
Report
Module
Plant
Program
(RTU)
ADO
Tag
DB
HMI
Module
R/W
Alarm
Module
Archive
DB
Tag
Logging
Module
Real
Data
Storage
Trending
Module
Figure 4.5: Proposed SCADA Software Product
62
SCADA Software
SCADA Supporting
Programs
SCADA Modules
Data Management
Modules
HCI Modules
Data Processing
Modules
Help
Tag Logging Module

Application
Module
Archive
Management
HMI
Plant
Graphic Designer
Report Module
Trending Module
Alarms Table
Reports Table
Manipulation
Current Data
Events Table
Alarming Module
Events Module
Trends Table
Logging Table
Figure 4.6: SCADA Software Classification
4.6.1 Graphic Designers

With WinCCs graphics designer editor, graphical user interface (GUI) for
the case study is created quickly and easily, screens are created first, insertion and
configuration of objects is done as a second step, finally a navigation page is
designed. These screens are saved in files, these files extensions are (.pld).
Figure 4.7: Graphic Designer Editor [44]

63
Start
Run WinCC Explorer
Select the command Open in
the context-sensitive menu the
Graphic Designer entry
Graphic Designer is started
and new picture is opened
Standard a blank picture is displayed
file format .pdl
Set picture frame
dimensions (x and y values)
Select object type from Object
Palette, standard or Context
Move the cursor to the position
where the object to be inserted
Insert the object with
the required size
Open Object Properties window.
Click on Properties tab
Set object static values
Back to Object Properties window
Click on Event tab
Set object dynamic properties
Yes
Draw new
object ?
Save picture
End
Figure 4.8: Graphic Designer flowchart
64
An active X container with thousands of library Symbols and Smart Objects,

VBA, On-line Changes, Panning, Zooming, Layering, Tool Tips and other features
provided with faster development times with more intuitive interface enable the
user to create and modify screens in both modes on-line and off-line [44]. Figures
4.7 and 4.8 show the Graphic Designer Editor Screen and flowchart respectively.
4.6.2 Plant Program

This program is a demonstrational program; it is neither a remote station
simulator nor a plant simulator. The real data were already taken from the 26
power generator stations database and stored in SQL server. The Plant program
will send the contents of these files to the system (shared) database stored at SQL
server (the plant program will send the real data by reading one row each ten
minutes to the shared data base) and then to the application module.
The other function of plant program is accepting control-actions being sent
by the application module.
4.6.3 Report Designer Module

The Hourly, Daily, Weekly, operators shift reports and other user-defined
reports can be configured within WinCC [2]. The report of designer editor is
included within WinCC and can also be used in conjunction with the crossreference utility to provide an overall application document.
WinCC is self documented; configuration report could be setup and run on a
document. Print job could be set up to schedule and print reports, WinCC provides
a control that allows user to manage and print reports directly from a run time
screen [44].
The report designer module will read analog readings of each database
element every one minute and store them in an archive file, i.e. the archive file will
contain 24*60 values for each database element every day.
65
The first report is called Daily report. Report designer module will calculate
the average operating value of each element per hour during a day and store the
result in the Daily archive file, i.e. the Daily table will contain 24 values for each
database element every day.
The second report is called Weekly report. Report designer module will
calculate the average operating value of each element per day during one week and
store the result in the Weekly table, i.e. the Weekly table will contain 7 values for
each database element every day. It is obvious that the record-interval is one week
and this interval is specified by operators.
The Report designer module will generate the system production report (8
clock report). System production report is calculated by summing the analog
values of the instantaneous generated power of each station during the period of
12:00PM to 12:00AM. The file contains 30 values of each station at a day. These
reports are stored in an archive file.
Figure 4.9: Report designer editor [44]
4.6.4 Trends Module

Trends show how process values change over time. This module displays the
trends in the way most useful to the operator. Trends can be set up as graphs,
66
tables, or other formats. It also provides analysis tools for the operator to allow
zooming, historical data viewing. Trends are graphical plots of values from current
conditions (real time) and past condition (historical). Wizards are used to setup
these trends to be modified during runtime, including the addition of tags to be
trended [44]. The trend display object provides the user with the template for
representing tag values as trends. This object is setup during configuration and can
be modified by the operator during the runtime process.
Open project through
WinCC explorer
Click on Graphical Builder

Select trend.pld page,
right click and Open
Select
WinCC online trend Control
Set the following properties;
- Window name.
- Data Source/Tag.
- define X and Y axis.
Click on Curve tab
Add required trends
Name trends
Set tags connection
Apply and Save page
Figure 4.10: Trend creation steps
4.6.5 Alarm Generation Module

Visualization of the process includes the ability to inform the operator when
conditions are outside their normal ranges [44]. Alarm logging editor allows user
67
to easily configure alarm messages that are generated for defined process states,
both binary and analog messages could be done configured and created.
WinCC explorer
Click on Alarm Logging,
right click and chose OPEN
Alarm Logging window
Select
Discrete or
Analog Alarm
Discrete
Analog
Append new Alarm
Right click on Analog

alarm icon and press new
Access alarm properties
Tag window will appear
Click Parameters Tab to

configure alarm
Set the TAG to be monitor
Set type and class of alarm,

connect TAG to be monitor
Set the Upper/Lower limits
Define message number
Define message number
Click Text tab, define info

message and message appear
Click TAG Action, define page
name when alarm occurred
Save and Exit
Figure 4.11: Creation Discrete and Analog Alarms
Digital alarm conditions are displayed in an alarm screen. Alarm resolution

actions for the operator can be defined here as well. Analog alarm can be set off of
a single tag. Operator actions to take are defined here as well. Alarms and events
68
are stored in the local SQL server 2000 database. Settings include archive and
segment size, time range, and backup path.
4.6.6 Achieving Module

The basic tasks of the archiving system are to display current process values
at any time. However, displaying the chronological progression of a process value,
e.g. in a diagram or table, need to access to past process values [44]. These values
are stored in process value archives. The process value archiving system consists
of configuration and runtime components. The configuration component of the
archiving system is the Tag Logging editor. In there process value is configured
and archives are compressed, defining acquisition and archiving cycles and selects
the process values to be archived.
The runtime component of the archiving system is responsible for writing
the process values to be archived to the process value archive during runtime. Vice
versa, Tag Logging Runtime is also responsible for reading the archived process
values from the process value archive.
4.6.7 Data Base Modules

The SQL Server 2000 relational database engine is a modern, highly
scalable, highly reliable engine for storing data. The database engine stores data in
tables. Each table represents some object of interest to the plant. Each table has
columns that represent an attribute of the object modeled by the table and rows that
represent a single occurrence of the type of object modeled by the table. There are
three main data base modules in this case study.
69
4.6.7.1 System Database

This module contains the Plant real database gathered from the remote
(PLC) in the 26 power generation stations distributed in different sites all over the
country and demonstrated by the Plant program. The system database contains
three tables. One of the tables has attributes which refer to the readings related to
the station such as; station ID, main positive, main negative, oil and fuel levels, etc.
The attributes of other table are related to the eight generators in the 26th power
stations such as; generators IDs, power generated readings, generators status and
other related readings, while the third table contains attributes of station number
correlated to the station name.
4.6.7.2 Archive Database

The Archive database is responsible for storing and retrieving historical
database used by other modules like report and trending modules. This module
contains many tables such as: Trending tables, Report tables, Event tables, Alarm
tables and Logging tables.
4.6.7.3 Tag Database

This module contains information received from the application module
each one second or information referred to memory location in system database
All the above modules used SQL server 2000 engine to store and retrieve
information and the mechanisms for the manipulation of information are the same
in all modules as mentioned in chapter three, ADO is application level interface
with a consistent design across many programming environments.
70
4.6.8 Application Module

This module responsibilities are: send/receive data to/from the system
(shared) database, does all necessary calculations on these data, and updates
system database with real-data values.
4.6.9 HMI Module

HMI is a GUI program that is constructed from a window and represents an
HMI page plus several bars; the most important one is an HMI main bar and
navigational bar. HMI displays visually SCADA system on the screen, updates the
screen according to the current values, states and handles all operators inputs. For
complete plant visualizations the GUI must communicate efficiently with the plant
elements (stored in system database) by adding drivers and creating tags, tags are
objects that refer to memory location (address) typically found in PLC, once a tag
is defined it contains all the properties relevant to its status, this includes
information obtained from the channel/ driver and memory location. WinCC tags
allow graphics objects, trends, and alarms to be connected directly to relevant
process data. HMI pages are discussed below.
4.6.9.1 HMI Main Page

This is the first page that will be displayed when HMI is first executed, as
shown in Figure 4.1. This page can also be displayed using Home command in
the HMI Main bar. In this page allocation of all the 26 power generation stations
which are distributed all over the country is displayed, moreover a menu on the left
hand side of the main page lists the names of the 26 power generation stations, an
operator could choose the station that he want by double clicking either the icon on
the map or the stations name on the menu list. There are also two buttons on the
left upper corner which enable the user to enter the sites either as a monitor i.e.
71
(quick revision) or as an administrator with additional rights. There are also four
buttons on the upper right corner: help, refresh, home, and login/logout. Help
button is used to display description about each button in the HCI project, refresh
button is used to refresh the screen upon users request, home button displays the
main page as mentioned above, while login/ logout button facilitates the users
entry or exit to and from the HCI pages.
4.6.9.2 Navigation Page

Runtime navigation is an important part of the HMI application. Operators
should be able to quickly access specific areas of application as needed. A
navigation screen can be created using standard buttons and picture window
objects, then using direct connection feature to create dynamics with one click of
the mouse. Click buttons are used to change the current process screen being
displayed by a picture window object. Additional browser features for runtime
navigation is added such as Home and Refresh. This page allows operators to
easily move from screen to screen through six navigation buttons, these buttons
are: Schematic, database, Event/Alarm, Report, operator and System.
Figure 4.12: Navigation screen

72
Another navigation buttons called internal navigation enables the operator to

access the information about plants elements easily. These buttons are:
Generators, Stations and Oil &Fuel.
START
Double click Power-plant
shortcut on desktop
Home
Main page
Enter user name and password to login
Monitoring
Administrator
Operator
Review stations short information
Monitor and control all stations
Monitor and acknowledge certain station
Control and Monitor
Monitoring
Select a station
Review stations short information
System
Operator
Monitor network connection
Review operators notes
Schematic
Database
Control station generators and feeders Monitor station generators and feeders
Alarms and Events
Reports
Review occurred alarms & events
Generate data reports & graphs
Generator
Generator
Events
Trend
Control station generators
Monitor station generators
Review actions
Generate data graphics
Station
Station
Alarms
Report
Control station feeders
Monitor station feeders
Review & Control alarms
Generate data report
Fuel & Oil
Fuel & Oil
Control levels
Monitor levels
Station
Generator
Review feeders data
Review generators data
Figure 4.13: Administrator navigation flowchart
73
Operator
Monitor and acknowledge
certain station
Schematic
Database
Alarms and Events
Operator
Acknowledge control signal
Monitor station generators and feeders
Review occurred alarms & events
Add operator notes
Generator
Events
Monitor station generators
Review actions
Station
Station
Alarms
Acknowledge feeders status
Monitor station feeders
Review & Acknowledge alarms
Fuel & Oil
Fuel & Oil
Acknowledge levels
Monitor levels
Figure 4.14: Operator navigation flowchart
4.6.9.3 HMI Schematic Pages

Schematic pages contain schematic diagrams of the plant, as shown in
Figure 4.15. The main feature of this page is to mimic the real environment i.e.
(power generation station) configuration on the scheme pages, the generators
image shown in Figure 4.15a is the same as it is in the real environment and this is
tested by using usability test method, and this is true for the other images Figures
4.15b and 4.15c.
Schematic pages consist of objects. Each object represents an element in the
plant. Two types of objects can be recognized in schematic pages: digital objects,
and analog objects. Digital objects are symbols that represent plant devices. Digital
Objects give the current states of a device through colors. Analog objects are
values that represent analog readings in the plant. Analog objects are values that
represent analog readings in the plant. Analog objects give the current states of a
device through values as well as colors, as shown in Table 4.3. As one can see
from the tables, the red color stands for all kinds of errors that may happen in the
74
plant. Schematic pages will not give the operator an indication about the error type.
The gray color represents objects that are under control. Objects marked gray
indicate the fact that the administrator entered the current state of this element and
this state may not be the same as the current state of the element in the plant.
Objects under control are marked gray until the Remote Station accepts or rejects
the control action and sends the current state of that element.
Color
Green
Magenta
Red
Gray
Digital Current State

Normal Operation
OFF
Error
Alarm
Not Available
Not Active
Not Defined
Under Control
Analog Current State

Normal Operation
Low
High
Under Control
Manual Entry
Table 4.3: MMI Schematic Pages Color Meanings
Several operations can be done to objects in schematic pages. In order to do

an operation on an object, the user should first select the object by clicking it. The
first operation is the navigation operation. Operator can navigate from one HMI
page to another by double clicking on an object that is linked to a page.
Figure 4.15: Schematic screens

75
4.6.9.4 Database Pages

The database elements detailed information can be found in these pages.
They illustrate two types of information, digital and analog, in a tabular form and
have no control. Figure 4.16 shows one of these pages. These pages have been
added to the developed project pages upon the customer request.
Figure 4.16: Database page
4.6.9.5 Alarm/ Event Pages

Alarm/Event pages display system alarms and events. The alarm (or event)
text gives information about the alarm like, time and date of alarm occurrence,
element where alarm is present and a description of the alarm. Color meanings in
Alarm/Event pages are shown in Table 4.4.
Color
Green
Red
Gray
Meaning
Event
Un-Acknowledged Alarm
Sending Control Action
Acknowledged Alarm
Table 4.4: HMI Alarm/Event Pages Color Meanings
76
Unacknowledged alarms are red. To acknowledge an alarm, the operator

selects the alarm row, click Single Acknowledgment button. The Application
module will acknowledge the element. In the same way group of alarms rows can
be acknowledge by clicking Group Acknowledgement.
Figure 4.17: Alarm/Event screen
4.6.9.6 HMI Trending Pages

The Trending pages display a graphical chart of analog readings versus time,
as shown in Figure 4.18. Trending pages contain trend selection buttons which
help the operator to choose the curve of the calculated or monitored values. The
assigning parameter button is responsible for defining the chart appearance: line,
dots, stepped, full area interpolated chart, etc. also, the operator can select the time
scale to be hourly, daily, or weekly from the x axis tab.
4.6.9.7 HMI Report Pages

Report pages are similar to trend pages in everything except that the report
pages will display element values versus time in a textual format and via a table.
Report pages are: Daily, Weakly, and 8 clock Report. The 8 clock Report shows
77
one value for each station. This value represents the average production rate of a
station from 12:00PM to 12:00 AM of the previous day.
Figure 4.18: Trends screen

WinCC explorer
Click on Graphical Builder

Select trend.pld page,
right click and Open
Select
WinCC online trend Control
Set the following properties;
- Window name.
- Data Source/Tag.
- define X and Y axis.
Click on Curve tab
Add required trends
Name trends
Set tags connection
Apply and Save page
Figure 4.19: Trend creation steps

78
4.6.9.8 HMI System Pages

The system page available in HMI displays the states of computers
connection at the 26 power generation station. The green color represents a normal
state while the red color represents an error state. Error states may be caused by
shutting down a computer or breaking down the WAN communication.
Figure 4.20: System page.
4.6.9.9 HMI Operators Pages

Two types of Operator Pages are available in HMI. The first page is the Add
Note page which enables the operator at the station to record their notes in a text
box. When the operator clicks the Submit Note button, the date and time of
entering the note will be added to the recorded note automatically.
The other page is the Operator Existence page which gives record of
operators names, station name as well as the date and time. When the operator
clicks Log In/Out button on the main bar, a system login window appears
allowing the operator to login by typing a user name and a password. This logging
79
operation allows the system to add the operator shift to the table of Operator
Existence page automatically.
Figure 4.21: Operator pages
80
Chapter Five: HCI AND SCADA SYSTEM TEST
CHAPTER FIVE
HCI AND SCADA SYSTEM
TEST
CHAPTER FIVE
HCI AND SCADA SYSTEM TEST
5.1 Introduction
Interface developers evaluate their designs by conducting expert reviews,
usability tests, surveys, and rigorous acceptance tests. Once interfaces are released,
developers perform continuous performance evaluations by interviews or surveys
[4].
This chapter is divided into three main areas. First, the WinCC hardware and
software instillation requirements are discussed. Second, the expert reviews,
usability and QUIS tests were made to the developed product and their results are
presented. Finally, real data and quality tests that were carried out are presented.
These tests were carried out during various stages of system development process.
Installation Requirements
of WinCC
Expert Reviews
- Cognitive walkthrough
technique
- Heuristic evaluation technique
Usability Testing
Running the SCADA

Product
Quality Test of
Developed Product
Questionnaire for User

Interaction Satisfaction
(QUIS)
Figure 5.1: Conducted tests of developed product

82
5.2 Requirements for the Installation of WinCC

For the installation of WinCC, certain hardware and software are required
[44]. These requirements are outlined in the following hardware and software
installation requirements sections.
During the installation of WinCC, the users will check, whether certain
requirements have been met. The following will be checked:
Operating system.
User rights.
Video resolution.
Internet Explorer.
MS Message Queuing.
SQL Server.
5.2.1 Hardware Requirements for the Installation of WinCC

WinCC supports all current IBM/AT-compatible PC platforms. In order to
be able to work efficiently with WinCC, a configuration should be setup according
to the recommended computer specification as shown in Table 5.1. The table
shows also, the different computers used to test the developed product.
Item
CPU
Recommended
Intel Pentium 4, 1400MHz
Main Memory
Available Hard Disk Speace
Video Card
Color depth
Resolution
512MB
10GB
32MB
True Color
1024*768
Used
Intel Pentium 4, (1800MHz,
2200MHz and 2700MHz)
512MB and 1GB
20GB
32MB and 64MB
True Color
1024*768
Table 5.1: Recommended and used computers specifications
83
5.2.2 Software Requirements for the Installation

For the installation of WinCC, certain requirements with regards to the
operating system and software configuration have to be met. Before the installation
of WinCC, the MS Message Queuing Services and the SQL Server 2000 instance
WinCC need to be installed. A WinCC runs under Windows XP professional and
Windows 2000, and the developed product was tested with both operating systems.
5.3 Expert Reviews

A way of finding out how well a system is designed is by asking experts of
their opinions. There are a variety of expert-review methods to choose as
mentioned in section (3.7). In this thesis two methods are selected and applied to
evaluate the developed HCI, cognitive walkthrough technique and heuristic
evaluation methods.
5.3.1 Cognitive Walkthrough Technique

This technique was applied to test the developed product. The steps involved
in cognitive walkthrough technique for monitoring task evaluation are shown in
Appendix (B1).
The evaluation of the developed HCI is continued to examine each task of
the developed product. Table 5.2 shows some of the tested tasks. Negative answers
to any of the questions are carefully documented on a separate form, along with
details of the system, its version number, the date of the evaluation, and the
evaluators names. The interface for the developed product may have been
changed since the evaluation was done. While working through the interface the
problems identified must be recorded and prioritized and finally solutions must be
suggested [22]. All the negative answers shown in Table 5.2 below are reviewed
and the suggested solutions are used to revise the design of the product.
84
Examined task
Steps
2
4
3
3
3
3
Monitor generator status

Control generator status
Control powers station
Control Fuel & Oil levels
Report monitoring
Trend monitoring
Number of
Questions
Negative Ans.
4
None
11
1
9
None
9
1
10
2
10
2
Table 5.2: Some of the examined tasks for administrator login using cognitive
walkthrough evaluation
5.4 Usability Testing

Many variant forms of usability testing have been explained in section (3.8).
In this thesis Competitive Usability test was applied to the developed product by
letting three users work on the previous product of AlQurashi bureau and the
developed product, Table 5.3 shows a summary of comparing results that were
obtained:
Previous Product
- Many mistakes are done by novice
users (at the 26 Power Generation
Stations) because the pages or screens
do not mimic the actual plant.
- The expert users at master station draw
the charts manually.
Developed product
- There are no mistakes because the
pages or screens mimic the actual plant
as in Figure 4.15.
- There are trend pages or screens which
facilitate the users task
Table 5.3: some of comparing results for three users worked on the developed and
the previous product
5.5 Questionnaire for User Interaction Satisfaction (QUIS)

The Questionnaire for User Interaction Satisfaction (QUIS) was developed
by the University of Maryland, Human Computer Interaction Laboratory, as shown
85
in Appendix (C), is one of the most widely used questionnaires for evaluating
interfaces [22]. Although developed for evaluating user satisfaction, it is frequently
applied to other aspects of interaction design. An advantage of this questionnaire is
that it has gone through many cycles of refinement and has been used for hundreds
of evaluation studies, so it is well tried and tested.
This test was carried out with the aid of fifteen volunteers (users). Four
females, eleven males were subjected to this test. The ages of these persons were
between 22 and 38 years. The test was conducted according to the following
points;
System experience (i.e., time spent on the system)
Past experience (i.e., experience with other systems)
Overall user reactions
Screen design
Terminology and system information
Learning (i.e., to operate the system)
System capabilities ( i.e., the time it takes to perform operation)
Technical manuals and online help.
Software installation
The QUIS used to collect answers has a 9-point scale, where the highest
scale shows a good impression. It also includes NA (Not Applicable) as a category
[4]. Some questions fall into range of possible values, for gender there are two
possible answers; female or male. Other questions require a specific value,
such as age, number of hours using a software product [14].
Users performance on the structured tasks was analyzed in detail and
participant ratings were tabulated as shown in Table 5.4.
86
Activity that received an average rating below 4.5 across participants was
deemed to need detailed review. In this case study the task Learning; Exploration
of features by trial and error received an average rating of 3.6. This received
value was expected, since the developed project was classified as a life
critical system and no trial and error is allowed.
10
9
8
Average
7
6
5
4
3
2
1
0
Overall User
Reactions
Screen
Terminology and
System Information
Learning
System Capabilities User Manuals and

On-line help
Software
Installation
Structured Task
Figure 5.2: QUIS structured tasks averaging
Figure 5.2 shows a bar chart to display averaging of structured tasks

graphically. Some tasks received high rating, more than 7.5 in 9-point scale format,
such as; overall user reaction, screen, terminology and system information, system
capabilities, and software installation. Other tasks received rating near 7. The
overall average of these main received tasks was 7.88.
Scaling the average rating on the standard scaling; 9-8.1 is excellent while
rating 8.1-7.2 as very good, 7.2-6.3 as good, 6.3-5.4 as medium, and 5.4-4.5 as
pass, while below 4.5 is not acceptable.
Based on the scaling mentioned above, four of the main tasks received a grade of
excellent; one main task received a grade of very good while the rest received
grade of good. The overall average of main tasks is found very good.
87
10
11
12
13
14
15
Average
Age
27
38
36
26
25
25
22
24
30
34
32
28
35
37
23
29.47
Sex
4F,11M
Hours of work on this system
10
12
12
4.4
1.4
20
22
20
18
15
13
12
12
12
15
18
22
10
15.07
Terrible / wonderful
8.47
Frustrating / satisfying
8.53
Dull / stimulating
8.33
Difficult / easy
8.67
Inadequate power / adequate power
8.27
Rigid / flexible
8.33
8.67
NA
NA
NA
NA
NA
NA
NA
NA
NA
NA
NA
NA
NA
NA
NA
Participant number
Background Information
How many operating systems worked

with
Number of familiar devices &
software
Structured Tasks
Overall User Reactions
Screen
Characters on the computer screen
Highlighting on the screen
88
10
11
12
13
14
15
Average
Screen layouts were helpful
8.67
Sequence of screens
8.73
Terminology relates well to the work
Messages which appear on screen
8.47
8.4
8.13
8.47
3.6
7.8
System response time
7.93
The system is reliable
8.27
Participant number
Terminology and System

Information
Computer keeps informing what it is

doing
Error messages
Learning
Learning to operate the system
Exploration of features by trial and
error
Remembering names and use of
commands
A straight-forward manner
performing tasks
System Capabilities
89
10
11
12
13
14
15
Average
System tends to be quiet
8.4
Correcting mistakes easy
7.73
6.27
NA
NA
NA
NA
NA
NA
NA
NA
NA
NA
NA
NA
NA
NA
NA
NA
NA
NA
NA
NA
NA
NA
NA
NA
NA
NA
NA
NA
NA
NA
NA
NA
6.8
Speed of installation
Customization
7.77
Informs you of its progress
8.23
8.31
Participant number
Ease of operation depends on your

system experience
User Manuals and On-line help
Technical manuals are clear
Manual information is easily
understood
Amount of help given adequate
Software Installation
Gives a meaningful failures

explanation
Participant Average
8.26 8.33 8.15 8.37 7.85 7.67 7.85 7.63 7.78 7.74 8.43 8.52 7.85 7.96 7.85
Table 5.4: Participant information and ratings on structured tasks of the developed product
90
5.6 Running the SCADA Product

The basic components of SEMATIC WinCC are the configuration software
and the runtime software. The WinCC Explorer is the core of configuration
software. In the WinCC Explorer, the proposed project structure is displayed and
managed. Special editors are provided that can be accessed from WinCC explorer.
With each editor, pages or screens of the developed product are configured; with
the run time software one can test all system modules by logging as an
administrator. The developed product was tested with real data taken from
AlQurashi Bureau. Figure 5.3: shows the Monitoring screen with real data test.
Figure 5.3: Monitoring screen at real data test
91
The developed product also has the ability to test one module separately as
the steps shown below:
- Run the graphic designer editor, and open the module default page.
- Click on Activate Runtime button located on file menu.
5.7 Developed Product Quality Test

The developed SCADA modules were tested to see their general behavior.
The results of the test are as follows:
The SCADA modules agree with their requirements.
The SCADA modules are almost error-free.
The quality of the final HCI software is enhanced significantly due to advanced
SEMANTIC WinCC features, developed by Siemens, such as:
- SEMATIC WinCC consists of four major subsystems (the graphic system,
the alarm system, the archiving system, and the report system).
- WinCC applications can support the visualization, control, and data
management needs of the plant. WinCCs graphic libraries and wizards
make developing machine control applications a breeze.
- WinCCs networking capabilities provide instant access to the application
from any location, making WinCC ideal for remote applications.
These WinCC advanced features enhanced the developed project through

enhancing the following factors;
Modularity: The developed project was created using the four WinCC
subsystems.
92
Expandability: Since the HCI modules are almost independent of each other,
expanding each module to support enhanced features will not have effect on
other modules, leading to increase HCI expandability.
Modifiability: The interface developed by the SIMANTIC WinCC can be
modified easily.
Understandability: Understanding completely separated modules are easier than
understanding one huge module.
Attractiveness: The WinCC Graphical Designer library objects and icon images
are aesthetically pleasing.
Prevention: The developed product provides some prevention by graying out
certain menu. In addition the product supports error handling.
Structure guidance: the developed product provides button information help,

which explains the buttons functions.
Rapid prototype to support expert-review and usability- testing processes: The

WinCC graphic designer facilitates rapid prototyping of user interface, since the
designer can try several alternative solutions within a short time. In addition,
the users can give their suggestions about the final product from the early stages
of software life cycle.
93
CHAPTER SIX
CONCLUSIONS AND SUGGESTIONS
FOR FUTURE WORK
Chapter Six: CONCLUSIONS AND SUGGESTION FOR FUTURE WORK
CHAPTER SIX
CONCLUSIONS AND SUGGESTIONS FOR FUTURE
WORK
6.1 Conclusions
In this thesis, an attempt is made to study strategies for designing an
effective human computer interaction (HCI). A number of conclusions have
been drawn from this study. These include:
There are three pillars for successful user-interface development: (i)

guidelines documents and processes; (ii) users interface software tools; and
(iii) expert review and usability testing (Figure 2.1). These pillars can help
user interface architects to turn good ideas into successful systems. They are
not guaranteed to work, but experience has shown that each pillar can
produce an order-of-magnitude speedup in the process and can facilitate the
creation of excellent systems.
Guidelines documents usually record best practices, and are derived from
practical experience or empirical studies with appropriate example, whereas,
principles tend to be more fundamental, widely applicable, and enduring.
However they also tend to need more clarification.
Both design principles and guidelines emerge from practical experience and
empirical studies. Designers can benefit from reviewing available guidelines
documents before constructing local versions.
95
In addition to recording organizational policy, a guidelines document

supports consistency, aids the application of tools for user-interface building,
and facilitates training of new designers. It also records results of practice
and experimental testing, and stimulates discussion of user-interface issues.
Determining users skill is one of the most important HCI design principles.
In this thesis, users are classified into novice (or first time) and expert (or
frequent) users, and the basic strategies used -in this thesis- are such that
they permit a multi-layer (sometimes called level-structured or spiral)
approach.
Bringing usability into the design process is the aim of interaction design. In
essence, it is about developing interactive products that are easy, effective,
and enjoyable to use from the users perspective.
Effective human computer interaction design is multidisciplinary, involving

many inputs from wide reaching disciplines and fields.
Development methodologies such as LUCID or contextual design (designing

systems with the user in mind) help by offering validated processes with
predictable schedules and meaningful deliverables and hence support
usability.
Although user interface management system (UIMS) provides increased

support, it also has some constrains.
Most testing methods will account appropriately for normal usage, but
performance in unpredictable situations with high levels of input is
extremely difficult to test.
Evaluation is a continuous process, and should occur (i) during the entire
system development process; (ii) after the system is finished; and (iii) during
the period the system is actually used.
96
Schedules often dictate when the evaluation ends. Otherwise, evaluation

should be ended when similar patterns of behavior being repeated and no
new things emerging or nothing new to learn.
6.2 Future work
The use of a Web technology feature of the Sematic Win CC software tool
developed by Siemens in the developed project. This will help in supporting
portability, opening the system architecture, utilizing open standards and
protocol such as internet protocol (IP).
Improving the on-line help of the developed product. This can be achieved
by clear writing, easy understood and helpful technical manual.
The user interface during active use should be evaluated. This can be
facilitated by interviews or surveys, or by logging users performance in a
way that respect their privacy.
Evaluation and critiquing software tools should be used to capture the

numbers of displays, widgets, or links between displays and users patterns
of activity.
97
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APPENDIX A
SCADA SYSTEM FUNCTIONS
APPENDIX A
SCADA SYSTEM FUNCTIONS
Data Receiving
SCADA Master Station Software should be able to receive data from the
Remote Station.
Data Transmission
SCADA Master Station Software should be able to send control actions done
by the operator to the Remote Station.
Data Processing
SCADA Master Station Software should be able to identify data, normalize
data, convert data format, and do all necessary data calculation on data being
sent/received to/from the Remote Station.
Alarm Processing
SCADA Master Station Software should be able to detect system changes
and identify abnormal situations.
Updating Database
Collected data are stored in system database, where information is available
for SCADA Master Station Software modules. The SCADA Master Station
Software should be able to store/retrieve data from system database.
Communicating with the Operator

The operator should be able to monitor and control the plant through the
SCADA Master Station Software.
Recording Historical Data
A-1
SCADA Master Station Software should be able to record historical data for
future use by the operator.
Detecting Failures
SCADA Master Station Software should be able to detect software and
hardware failures happened in the Master Station itself.
A-2
APPENDIX B
WALKTHROUGH AND
HEURISTIC EVALUATION
APPENDIX B
WALKTHROUGH AND HEURISTIC EVALUATION
Walkthrough Technique
This testing technique was used to test the most high frequency tasks.
Task: monitor generators status.

Typical users: Administrator
The steps to complete the task are given below. Note that the interface for
the developed software may have changed since we did our evaluation.
Step 1. Selecting the correct entry i.e. log in as a monitor.

Q. Will users know what to do?
Ans. Yes they know that they must monitor the generators station.
Q. Will users see how to do it?
Ans. Yes they have seen menus before and will know to select the appropriate
item and click it.
Q. Is the dialogue box of log in user name and password not frustrate the users?
Ans. Yes- they used to do this procedure in the previous software.
Step 2. Quick revision to the generators status.

Q. Is the monitoring page or screen presented the generators readings in an
accurate and effective manner?
Answer.: Yes the related information was presented in tabular form as they used to
present their information at the NDC.
B-2
Task: control generators status.

Typical users: Administrator
The steps to complete the task are given below. Note that the interface for
the developed software may have changed since we did our evaluation.
Step 1. Selecting the correct entry i.e. log in as an administrator

Q. Will users know what to do?
Ans. Yes they know that they must choose administrator button.
Q. Will users see how to do it?
Ans. Yes they have seen menus before and will know to select the appropriate
item and click it.
Q. Is the dialogue box of log in user name and password not frustrate the users?
Ans. Yes- they used to do this procedure in the previous software.
Step 2. Select the station.

Q. Does the user know how to choose the station?
Ans. Yes-because the main page was designed with geographic representation to
the 26 power generator stations distributed on the Iraq map.
Q. Does he know whether he have chose the correct station?
Ans. Yes- the name of the selected station is written on the top left of the
generator schematic page.
Q. could the user log out from the station if its choose is wrong immediately?
Ans. Yes- he could log out immediately be click the home button.
.
B-3
Step 3. Change the generators status.

Q. Is the schematic page so clear to facilitate the users task for controlling the
generators status?
Answer.: Yes the generators schematic page was designed to mimic the real
environment at the 26 power generator stations, so both the administrator
and the operator are familiar with it.
Q. Does the administrator know how to accomplish the task?
Answer. Yes he/she does, there is a toggle switch which the users select and
choose its location from early stage of design process.
Q. Will users understand from feedback whether the action was correct or not?
Answer. No- because when the generators status is off and the administrator want
to change it to on and the action is not accepted because the generator is
failure there is no feedback message and an indication that the generator
status is failure.
Step 4. Wait for acknowledgement signal from the operator at the selected
workstation to confirm the change in generator status.
Q. Will user understand from feedback whether the action was correct or not?
Answer. Yes- because the controlled generator is become Gray until the operator
at the selected station send acknowledge signal to the administrator at the
master station.
Q. Will users know that the task is completed?
Answers. Yes the controlled generator will take the colors of the toggle switch that
are described in table (4.3).
B-4
APPENDIX C
QUESTIONNAIRE FOR USER
INTERACTION
APPENDIX C
QUESTIONNAIRE FOR USER INTERACTION SATISFACTION
( UNIVERSITY OF MARYLAND, 1997)
Identification number:
Age:
Gender (M for male, F for female):
PART 1: System Experience

1.1 How long have you worked on this system?
_ less than 1 hour
_ 6 months to less than 1 year
_ 1 hour to less than 1 day
_ 1 year to less than 2 years
_ 1 day to less than 1 week
_ 2 years to less than 3 years
_ 1 week to less than 1 month
_ 3 years or more
_ 1 month to less than 6 months
PART 2: Past Experience

2.1 How many operating systems have you worked with?
_ none
_ 3-4
_1
_ 5-6
_2
_ more than 6
2.2 Of the following devices, software, and systems, check those that you have personally used and are familiar
with:
_ computer terminal
_ personal computer
_ lap top computer
_ color monitor
_ touch screen
_ floppy drive
_ CD-ROM drive
_ keyboard
_ mouse
_ track ball
_ joy stick
_ pen based computing
_ graphics tablet
_ head mounted display
_ modems
_ scanners
_ word processor
_ graphics software
_ spreadsheet software
_ database software
_ computer games
_ voice recognition
_ video editing systems
_ internet
_ CAD computer aided design
_ rapid prototyping systems
_ e-mail
C-2
PART 3: Overall User Reactions

Please circle the numbers which most appropriately reflect your impressions about using this computer
system. Not Applicable = NA.
3.1 Overall reactions to the system:
terrible
wonderful
123456789
3.2
frustrating
satisfying
123456789
3.3
dull
difficult
inadequate power
rigid
NA
adequate power
123456789
3.6
NA
easy
123456789
3.5
NA
stimulating
123456789
3.4
NA
NA
flexible
123456789
NA
Please write your comments about terminology and system information here:
PART 4: Screen
4.1 Characters on the computer screen
hard to read
easy to read
123456789
4.2 Highlighting on the screen
unhelpful
helpful
123456789
4.3 Screen layouts were helpful
never
NA
always
123456789
4.4 Sequence of screens
NA
confusing
NA
clear
123456789
NA
Please write your comments about the screens here:
PART 5: Terminology and System Information

5.2 Terminology relates well to the work
never
you are doing?
always
123456789
5.3 Messages which appear on screen
inconsistent
consistent
123456789
5.4 Messages which appear on screen
confusing
NA
clear
123456789
C-3
NA
NA
5.5 Computer keeps you informed about
never
what it is doing
always
123456789
5.6 Error messages
unhelpful
NA
helpful
123456789
NA
Please write your comments about terminology and system information here:
PART 6: Learning
6.1 Learning to operate the system
difficult
easy
123456789
6.2 Exploration of features by trial
discouraging
and error
encouraging
123456789
6.3 Remembering names and use of
difficult
Commands
never
forward manner
NA
easy
123456789
6.4 Tasks can be performed in a straight-
NA
NA
always
123456789
NA
Please write your comments about learning here:
PART 7: System Capabilities

7.1 System speed
too slow
fast enough
123456789
7.2 The system is reliable
never
always
123456789
7.3 System tends to be
noisy
difficult
never
level of experience
NA
easy
123456789
7.5 Ease of operation depends on your
NA
quiet
123456789
7.4 Correcting your mistakes
NA
NA
always
123456789
NA
Please write your comments about system capabilities here:
PART 8: User Manuals and On-line help

8.1 Technical manuals are
confusing
clear
123456789
C-4
NA
8.2 Information from the manual is
never
easily understood
always
123456789
8.3 Amount of help given
inadequate
NA
adequate
123456789
NA
Please write your comments about technical manuals and on-line help here:
PART 9: Software Installation

9.1 Speed of installation
slow
fast
123456789
9.2 Customization
difficult
easy
123456789
9.3 Informs you of its progress
never
never
when failures occur
NA
always
123456789
9.4 Gives a meaningful explanation
NA
NA
always
123456789
NA
Please write your comments about software installation here:
_______________________________________________________________________________________
C-5

.

.

.
.
usability
.

:
. "
.
.

.
) (SEMATIC Window Control Center (WinCC), version 6
Siemens-AG
.
Cognitive Walkthrough
Competitive Usability Testing QUIS
" . Quality Test
.
1428
2007

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DESIGN AND IMPLEMENTATION OF

But most to my husband

I certify that this thesis entitled Design and Implementation of User

I certify that the preparation of this thesis entitled Design and

ActiveX Data Object

Component Object Model

Cognitive Perceptual Motor Goal Operators

Database Management System

Distributed Control System

Goal Operators Methods Selections

Graphical User Interface

Human Computer Interface

Human Machine Interface

Local Area Network

Logical User- Centered Interaction Design

Microsoft Data Access Components

Microsoft Foundation Classes

Man Machine Interface

National Communication System

National Dispatch center

Object Action Interface

Open Database Connectivity

Object Linking and Embedding

Object Linking and Embedded Database

Programmable Logic Controller

Public Switched Network

Random Access Memory

Remote Terminal Unit

Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition

System Development Life Cycle

Structured Query Language

Task Action Grammars

Technical Information Bulletin

Ultra High Frequency

User Interface Management System

Very High Frequency

Wide Area Network

1.2 Definition of HCI:

1.3 Advantages and applications of HCI

1.4 The Importance of HCI

1.5 Professionals involved in HCI

1.6 SCADA Systems

1.7 Literature survey

1.7.1 Work related to HCI

1.7.2 Work related to SCADA system

1.7.3 Work related to usability

1.8 Work Objectives

1.9 Thesis Outline

2.2.1 Navigation of the interface

2.2.2 Organization of the display

2.2.3 Recommendations for guidelines documents

2.3.1 Determine users skill levels

2.3.2 Identify the tasks

2.3.3 Choose an interaction styles

2.3.4 Use the eight golden rules of interface design

2.3.5 Prevent Errors

2.5 Object-Action Interface Model

2.5.1 Task hierarchies of objects and actions

2.5.2 Interface hierarchies of objects and actions

2.5.3 The disappearance of syntax

2.6 LUCID Development Methodology

3.2 Software-Engineering Tools