Handheld devices for use within integrated operations in the petroleum industry

摘要

Handheld devices have been used for several years in integrated operations in the petroleumindustry. There is little knowledge of the effects of their design on efficient and safe plantoperation, however. Moreover, little is known about how operators evaluate design andusability of mobile devices to support their work. The objective of this research work is toinvestigate how the design of handheld devices affects working routines to facilitate efficientand safe operations at gas processing plants and to what extent their use improve currentprocedures and satisfies users’ needs.For the purpose of creating design criteria for future product development, the researchincludes the collection and analysis of data on existing collaborative work practices in safetycritical environments and evaluation studies of handheld devices that are currently used byoperators on Norwegian land facilities. The criteria are based on theory and interviews,observation material, and video data from three ethnographic fieldwork studies conducted atthe Ormen Lange and Hammerfest LNG onshore processing plants. The data were analysedusing techniques from ethnographic analysis, video analysis, and design.The thesis seeks to show relationships by taking a holistic view of human-computerinteraction (HCI). It brings interaction with the real world - including sensory experience -into the focus of attention when designing future products. Creative decisions, in particularfor mobile communication technologies, should be based upon theoretical considerations ofthe life world, embodiment, and Gestalt theory as well as on frameworks such as Distributedcognition and Activity theory because they are important for correct and effective use oftechnical devices. Handheld devices used in industrial contexts should be designed to supporttask performance rather than device performance. To succeed, the focus should, on the onehand, be on physical space in which work is done and on established procedures. On the otherhand, user experiences and behavioural patterns as well as users’ mobility should be takeninto account. A logical outcome of this is simplification of technology complexity.The aim of this research work is not to provide innovative technology but rather to emphasisethe impacts of mobile technologies on people and business goals as well as on the physicaland social environment in which technologies are used. The thesis is written from a designperspective and suggests aims for the design of handheld devices for use in the oil and gasindustry. It presents a complex theoretical and empirical research and shows the dimensionsthat must be considered when designing seemingly small devices in order to meet theirrequirements. To answer the problem statement of the thesis, material from the fields ofphilosophy, cognitive science, and design theory was used and related to the empirical datacollected from fieldwork studies. Based on a comprehensive design and context analysis,knowledge about handheld devices used in a hazardous work setting and information aboutuser experiences is presented and data on the activity system of field operators provided. Finally, design criteria for handheld devices are suggested and three concepts of mobiledevices evaluated to identify their opportunities and challenges.The research results show why it is necessary to design mobile technology from a user’sperspective. There is, however, a need for more empirical research in time-constrained, datadrivenenvironments where people are required to perceive data rapidly in fast-pacedsituations. In order to provide people with well-designed equipment, human aspects will haveto play a greater role in technology development and in design and engineering sciences.