Resources

ARTICLES/COVERAGE OF THE CENTER FOR OPERATOR PERFORMANCE

  • BP Joins the Center for Operator Performance
    Author: COP
    Publication: Control Design, April 16, 2019, Access: Online Article
  • The Effects of Native Language and Gender on Procedure Performance
    Author: S. Camille Peres , William D. Johnson, Sarah E. Thomas, and  Paul Ritchey, Texas A&M University, College Station
    Publication: The Journal of the Human Factors and Ergonomics Society, February 8, 2019, Access: Online Article
  • COP Benchmark Shows Wide Variance in Operator Training
    Author: COP
    Publication: Chemical Processing, January 22, 2019, Access: Online Article
  • Young Engineers Need Our Help: A “boot camp” on process equipment and systems makes sense
    Author: Mark Rosenzweig
    Publication: Chemical Processing, December 19, 2018, Access: Online Article
  • Knowledge Transfer: Plants Seek The Right Recipe For Seasoning
    Author: Seán Ottewell
    Publication: Chemical Processing, December 11, 2018, Access: Online Article
  • Center for Operator Performance Becomes Independent Organization
    Author: COP
    Publication: HydroCarbon Processing, Nov 2018, Access: Online Article
  • Plug the Holes in the Swiss Cheese Model
    Authors: Todd Stauffer, Nicholas P. Sands, David Strobhar
    Publication: AiChE, Sept 2017, Access: Online Article
  • HollyFrontier Corporation Joins Center for Operator Performance
    Author: COP
    Publication: Chemical Processing, Sept 2017, Access: Online Article
  • The Human Factors of Panel Layout
    Author: Dave Strobhar
    Publication: Control Design, May 2017, Access: Online Article
  • Age-Related Hearing Loss May Affect Ability to Detect Alarms
    Author: Dave Strobhar
    Publication: Chemical Processing, May 2, 2017, Access: Online Article
  • Industry Survey on Highly Managed Alarms
    Author: Dave Strobhar
    Publication: Control Design, February 2017
  • Effects of Procedure Design Can Be Empirically Tested, Study evaluates effectiveness of warning symbols
    Author: Dave Strobhar
    Publication: Chemical Processing, January 25, 2017, Access:  Online Article
  • Efforts Bolster Operator Training, A variety of iniatives aim to improve expertise and effectiveness
    Author: Seán Ottewell
    Publication: Chemical Processing, January 18, 2017, Access: Online Article
  • The Great Graphics Debate: Is Going Gray Good for HMIs?
    Author: James R. Koelsch
    Publication: AutomationWorld, November 18, 2016, Access: Online Article
  • Alarm Management by the Numbers, Deeper understanding of common alarm-system metrics can improve remedial actions and result in a safer plant
    Author: Kim Van Camp
    Publication: Chemical Engineering, March 1, 2016, Access: Online Article
  • Big and Small: Display Technologies Transform Control Rooms
    Author: Terry Costlow
    Publication: Automation World, September 18, 2015, Access: Online Article
  • Plants Grapple with Graying Staff Retaining expertise and know-how remains a crucial issue
    Author: Seán Ottewell
    Publication: Chemical Processing, July 29, 2015, Access: Online Article
  • Bring Your Procedures into the 21st Century Switching to a modular approach offers substantial ongoing benefits
    Author: Dave Strobhar
    Publication: Chemical Processing, July 21, 2015, Access: Online Article
  • You might have HMI design backward Did you know background color is the least important element?
    Author: Dave Strobhar
    Publication: Control Design, July 13, 2015, Access: Online Article
  • Here’s What to Look for in Operator Displays Use the 4-Second Rule: Can it tell you what you need to know in 4 seconds?
    Author: Mike Bacidore
    A summary of the Center for Operator Performance presentation at ABB Automation & Power World
    Publication: Control Design, March 4, 2015, Access: Online Article
  • The Long Greenfield
    Author: Jim Montague
    A Control Magazine article about the Northwest Redwater refinery project that cites HFE services being provided by Beville Engineering. Beville is headed by Dave Strobhar and is a founding member of the COP.
    Publication: Control Magazine, August 2014, Access: Online Article
  • Perfect Fit: Operator Performance
    Author: Jim Montague
    Publication: Control Magazine, March 2014, Access: Online Article
  • Operator Performance Pumps Up
    Recap of software tools and proactive procedures to enhance operator performance including the COP’S Semantic Procedure Analyzer (SPA) and Display Metrics Toolkit (DMT)
    Author: Jim Montague
    Publication: Control Magazine, March 2013, Access: Article Reprint (533KB PDF), Online Article
  • Changing Workforce Drives Control Room Modernization
    Author: Grant Gerke
    Publication: Automation World, January 28, 2013, Access: Online Article
  • LSU Students Study Petro-chemical Operators to Create Scientific Alarm Rates
    Author: Eric Camaradale
    Publication: LSU College of Engineering News, May 2012, Access: Online Article
  • The Keys to Operator Performance Operator Error Rates Double on the Ninth Day of Work After Eight Days of Consistent Performance
    Recap of several interesting findings from ongoing COP projects with Penn State University, Louisiana State University, and Klein Associates
    Author: Aaron Hand
    Publication: Control Design, May 2012, Access: Online Article
  • How to Build a Better Operator Collaborative Research Effort Looks for Keys to Improved Effectiveness
    A summary of the Center for Operator Performance presentations at ABB Automation & Power World
    Author: Aaron Hand
    Publication: Control Design, April 2012, Access: Online Article
  • How Many Alarms Can an Operator Handle? Two recent studies provide insights
    Authors: David A. Strobhar, Beville Engineering, & Craig M. Harvey, Louisiana State University
    Publication: Chemical Processing, December 2011, Access: Online Article
  • Shortening the Expertise Curve
    Identifying and Developing Cognitive Skills in Board Operators
    Authors: Danyele Harris-Thompson, David A. Malek, Sterling L. Wiggins
    Publication:  Applied Research Associates, August 30, 2010, Access Online Article
  • Operator Training Gains Ground
    Initiatives build on established methods as well as emerging technology
    Author: Seán Ottewell
    Publication: Chemical Processing, June 2011, Access: Online Article
  • Collaboration Picks up Speed Industry and academia pull together harder
    Author: Seán Ottewell
    Publication: Chemical Processing, May 2010, Access: Online Article
  • Consortium Reports New Findings on Alarm Rates
    New research funded by the Center for Operator Performance shows that process operators may perform better at high alarm rates when alarms are grouped by priority, rather than chronologically.
    Author: Wes Iverson
    Publication: Automation World, May 2010, Access: Online Article
  • Control Systems, Oh, No…Not Again!
    The Process Industries Have Been Faced with a Continuing Series of Refinery, Chemical Plant, Mining and Even Food Plant Disasters. These Continue to Happen with Distressing Regularity. Who’s at Fault? It’s the Culture, Not the Control Systems.
    Author: Walt Boyes
    Publication: ControlGlobal.com, April 2010, Access: Online Article
  • Simple, Strong and Easy-to-Use
    User-Centered Design Makes Operators More Aware of Their Processes and Better Able to Respond Fast.
    Author: Jim Montague
    Publication: ControlGlobal.com, March 2010, Access: Online Article
  • Build Operator Expertise Faster
    Following a few do’s and don’t can significantly speed learning.
    Authors: David A. Strobhar, Beville Engineering, and Danyele Harris-Thompson, Klein Associates
    Publication: Chemical Processing, December 2009, Access: Online Article
  • How Good is Your Operator’s Mental Model?
    Author: Martin Berutti, December 2009, Access: Mynah Website Article
  • Succession Planning: Avoid a Dumb Move
    Stinting on capturing the expertise of departing employees is a false economy.
    Author: Mark Rosenzweig
    Publication: Chemical Processing, June 2009, Access: Online Article
  • Operators Get More Help
    Efforts aim to provide insights and tools to boost performance.
    Author: Seán Ottewell
    Publication: Chemical Processing, January 2009, Access: Online Article
  • Operator Interfaces Expand Human Factors
    Author: C. Kenna Amos
    Publication: Automation World, November 2008, Access: Online Article
  • Call a COP
    Need help staffing your operations? Consider the Center for Operator Performance.
    Publication: Automation World, October 2008, Access: Online Article
  • Human Factors: To Compete or Cooperate?
    Human factors engineering is a major issue in the process industries—big enough that there are now two separate organizations on the case.
    Author: Greg A. Jamieson
    Publication: Mechanical Engineering, Web Exclusive 2008
  • In Pursuit of Improved Operator Performance
    From fighter planes to nuclear power
    Publication: ControlGlobal.com, May 2008, Access: Online Article
  • Operator Performance Takes Center Stage
    Industry/university alliance aims to address human factors in process control.
    Publication: Chemical Processing, May 2008, Access: Online Article
  • Improving Human Effectiveness
    Publication: Automation World, October 2007, Access: Online Article
  • Aiming for Operator Excellence
    Author: Jerry Laws
    Publication: Occupational Health & Safety, June 2007, Access: Online Article

Training Videos

  • Process Plant Primer

    Screencast designed for researchers looking to bid or work on Center for Operator Performance projects. David Strobhar provides background information and key issues in process plant operations. (17:32 minutes) Access Primer

AUDIO INTERVIEWS AND PODCASTS

  • Minute Clinic: Alarm Redundancy Without Alarm Duplication
    Dave Strobhar discusses alarm redundancy (5:05 minutes)
    ChemicalProcessing.com Access Podcast
  • Minute Clinic: Speed Operator Training
    In this Minute Clinic episode, you can learn a simple way to speed operator training (5:19 minutes)
    ChemicalProcessing.com Access Podcast
  • Minute Clinic: Font Size Matters
    Dave Strobhar discusses how to tackle font size requirements in regards to alarm management (5:40 minutes)
    ChemicalProcessing.com Access Podcast
  • Minute Clinic: How To Calculate Total Operators
    In this Minute Clinic episode, you can learn how to calculate total operators required to cover a post position (4:10 minutes)
    ChemicalProcessing.com Access Podcast
  • Minute Clinic: Staffing Your Console
    Dave Strobhar discusses how to staff your console (3:51 minutes)
    ChemicalProcessing.com Access Podcast
  • Minute Clinic: Diagrams And Line Labeling
    In this Minute Clinic episode, Dave Strobhar discusses the operator performance topic diagrams and line labeling and offers two things to improve accuracy (5:40 minutes)
    ChemicalProcessing.com Access Podcast
  • Minute Clinic: Reduce Emergency Procedures
    Dave Strobhar discusses how to reduce emergency procedures by 90% (4:35 minutes)
    ChemicalProcessing.com Access Podcast
  • Minute Clinic: Rules For Displays
    In this Minute Clinic episode, you can learn the rules to follow when it comes to displays (7:24 minutes)
    ChemicalProcessing.com Access Podcast
  • Minute Clinic: Alarm Targets
    Dave Strobhar kicked off the Chemical Processing Minute Clinic Podcast Series on May 14, 2015 with the operator performance topic alarm targets (8:46 minutes)
    ChemicalProcessing.com Access Podcast
  • Minute Clinic: Low-Cost Ways to Improve Operator Decision-Making
    In this Minute Clinic episode, Dave Strobhar offers straight-forward solutions to help operators make better decisions (8:44 minutes)
    ChemicalProcessing.com Access Podcast
  • Man & Machine: Procedures for Protecting Plants and Refineries
    Featured Audio Interview #1 with David Strobhar (9:33 minutes)
    Intellirights.com Access Recording
  • David Strobhar: Breaking Down Human Language
    This is a Featured Audio interview with David Strobhar (6 minutes).
    Intellirights.com Access Recording
  • Center for Operator Performance Presentation at NPRA Meeting.
    This is a Featured Audio interview with David Strobhar (5:24 minutes).
    Intellirights.com Access Recording
  • Leadership Focus Podcast: Operator Performance
    The people who control chemical processes (the operators) must monitor more equipment and have less hands-on experience with the process, making it harder for them to be effective. Traci Purdum, Chemical Processing’s senior digital editor, talks with Dave Strobar – principal human factors engineer for Beville Engineering. Dave is also a guiding light behind the Center for Operator Performance.
    ChemicalProcessing.com Access Podcast
  • Podcast Bytes: Impact of Alarm Rates and Interface Design on Operator Performance
    The Center for Operator Performance, Dayton, Ohio, funded recent research into the effects of different alarm rates and interface designs on operator performance. Statistically significant effects were found. In this podcast interview, recorded on April 16, 2010, Managing Editor Wes Iversen discusses the results with David Strobhar, chief human factors engineer at Beville Engineering, Dayton, and a member of the Center.
    AutomationWorld.com Access Podcast

Presentations

  • Go back to basics with HMI design
    Automation Basics presentation takes you through the fundamentals of HMI design and answers commonly asked questions, May 14, 2015
    Presentation by David A Strobhar, PE
    ControlDesign.com Access Presentation (43:43 minutes)
  • COP Amersfoort Netherlands One Day Seminar
    Yokogawa Europe B.V. hosted Introduction to the COP, April 9, 2015
    Presentations by Antoon Tuerlings, Yokogawa; David Strobhar, Beville Engineering; Mark Nixon, Emerson; Tom Fiske, Yokogawa
    Access Presentation (3.99MB PDF), Photos (1.1MB PDF)
  • Building a Better Operator Webinar
    IChemE’s Process Management and Control Special Interest Group Webinar, March 16, 2015
    Presentation by David A Strobhar, PE
    Access Webinar Archive (60 minutes)
  • Semantic Procedure Analysis:Modularizing Operating Procedures for More Efficient Use and Comprehensive Updating
    American Fuel & Petrochemical Manufacturers Annual Meeting, Orlando FL, March 25, 2014
    Presentation by Thomas Kindervater, PE
    Purchase Presentation
  • DCS Console Operator Issues in Related Industries
    2011 TAPPI PEERS Conference, Portland OR, Oct 2-5 2011
    Presentation by David A Strobhar, PE
    Purchase Presentation
  • Modularizing Emergency Procedures for Increased Ease of Use and Updating
    NPRA 2011 Annual Meeting (now AFPM)
    Presentation by David A Strobhar, PE, Sandeep Purao, Ph.D., and Jingwen He
    Purchase Presentation
  • Service Extraction from Operator Procedures in Process Industries
    2011 DESRIST Conference, Purchase PDF
  • Operator Performance as a Function of Alarm Rate and Interface Design
    WBF Make2Profit Conference, Austin, TX, May 24-26, 2010
    Presentation by David A Strobhar, PE, Glenn Uhack, and Craig Harvey, Ph.D., PE
    Access Whitepaper

USEFUL LINKS

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RECOMMENDED READING LIST

Browse our recommended list of books to learn more about human factors, team performance, decision making, and training.