Operators and users are increasingly moving toward high-performance HMI, a method of HMI design that helps ensure fast, effective interaction. By only drawing attention to the most necessary or critical indicators on the interface, this design technique helps the viewer to see and respond to problems more efficiently, as well as make better-informed decisions. Indicators on high-performance HMI are simple, clean, and purposely cleared of any extraneous graphics or controls. Other design elements, like color, size, and placement, are used with discretion to optimize the user experience. Learn more about designing high-performance HMIs here.

Mobile-friendly remote monitoring allows greater flexibility and accessibility for operators and managers alike. With this feature, an offsite control system engineer can, for example, confirm the temperature of a warehouse on a portable device, eliminating the need for onsite supervision after working hours. Soon, checking in on a process on your factory floor while being miles away from the facility won’t seem like anything out of the ordinary.

Edge-of-network HMIs are also in high demand because they allow operators to access data and visualization from field devices. Additionally, it is becoming more common to send data from local HMIs to the cloud, where it can be accessed and analyzed remotely, while keeping control capabilities local.

Touch screens and mobile HMI are two examples of technological advances that have emerged with the advent of smartphones. Instead of buttons and switches, modernized HMIs allow operators to tap or touch the physical screen to access controls. Touch screens are especially important when used with mobile HMI, which is either deployed through web-based HMI or via an application. Mobile HMI offers a variety of advantages to operators, including instant access to HMI information and remote monitoring.