Abstract
This paper describes how persuasive technologies have been introduced in the interface (HCI) of a production processes management system (PPMS) adopted into a high-risk chemical plant, making the operators’ tasks safer and less afflicted by human errors. The hypothesis that persuasive technologies can contribute to improve safety was empirically confirmed in a study carried out on a real PPMS. It has been observed that this PPMS implements a persuasion strategy called tunnelling, aimed at forcing the operators to strictly follow a step-by-step and start-to-end execution of the tasks. First, a survey was conducted on a sample of 13 operators in order to investigate the role played by the PPMS, comparing it with the “functional triad” proposed by Fogg (Persuasive technology. Using computers to change what we think and do. Morgan Kaufmann Publishers, San Francisco, 2002). Then, an analysis on production volumes and accidents revealed that the PPMS actually encourages safer behaviours and contributed to a reduction of the number of dangerous slips and lapses since its adoption.
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In 1982 the Council of the European Communities adopted the “Seveso I” Directive, which was subsequently replaced by “Seveso II” (“Emergenze Tecnologiche” 2005; “Rischio Industriale” 2005). Moreover, public concern over the impact that any industrial activity may have on the environment has prompted governments to adopt specific regulations in order to guarantee that some safety and environmental standards are maintained. For instance, Directive IPPC (issued in 1996 by the Council of the European Union) provides that all industrial plants must choose the best available techniques (BAT), so that they contribute to prevent and control pollution (“The IPPC Directive” 2005). The increasing need for transparency and safety has also induced some companies to join volunteer programs such as “Responsible Care” (“Federchimica” 2005; “Responsible Care” 2005).
Major accidents are defined as occurrences such as emissions, fires or explosions “resulting from uncontrolled developments in the course of an industrial activity, leading to a serious danger to man, immediate or delayed, inside or outside the establishment, and/or to the environment, and involving one or more dangerous substances” (Seveso Directive 82/501/EEC, article 1). Substances which may lead to major accidents are listed in the annexes of the directives together with their threshold quantities.
The production processes management system allows users to perform and coordinate the various steps which constitute a process and to alternate automatically-executed operations with actions where manual intervention is required. It offers information about both the current production process and the status of the plant and of the available resources.
Notice that, even though non-random samples are not statistically representative, they are often used in much psychology researches, as well as in usability testing, especially in early evaluation phases (Royce 1999).
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Vernero, F., Montanari, R. Persuasive technologies in the interface of a high-risk chemical plant production processes management system. Cogn Tech Work 12, 51–60 (2010). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10111-009-0128-5
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10111-009-0128-5