Hitachi Energy

User-centered design enables intuitive power network management

Hitachi Energy designs power network solutions for electricity distributors, industries, infrastructure, and logistics operators. The energy sector pioneer’s mission is to develop their industry towards a more sustainable, flexible, and secure future.

THE CHALLENGE

Introducing ease of use and adaptability to MicroSCADA X’s user interface

The MicroSCADA X product family offers solutions for ensuring energy availability in critical targets, managing distribution system access, and speeding up troubleshooting. Hitachy Energy wanted merge two different systems for power station operations and monitoring, and at the same time unify their automation system’s outdated interface to meet the needs of different user groups.

The security-critical system needs to provide a straightforward and intuitive user experience, and its design had to accommodate the varying operating environments of different users. Key targets for the new interface were intuitiveness, scalability, and simplicity. This is why real-world user needs were placed at the core of all design work.

our approach

Real-world user needs were mapped with comprehensive interviews and studies

The collaboration began with a comprehensive international user and stakeholder study on the different needs and expectations of Hitachi’s target groups. Results from broad user interviews and field studies were refined into model personas that were in turn utilized for crafting the new user interface concept.

MicroSCADA X’s user interface needs to adapt for different use cases and situations. For example, a factory manager’s and a shift manager’s needs are not the same, but the interface needs to support both in their work efficiently and safely.

The automation system handles enormous amounts of data originating from different API’s. Undertaking a demanding technical implementation requires specialisation and industry understanding from a design partner. The project also included updates for the interface’s information architecture. The system’s interactive functionalities and visual solutions were redesigned with insight gained from user feedback.

– MicroSCADA X is a critical system that needs to deliver a streamlined and dependable user experience. We’ve had the privilege to really immerse ourselves in Hitachi Energy’s operating environment and gained an understanding of their users which helps us develop our solutions even further, Gofore’s UX Designer Maija Paananen illustrates.

An in-depth understanding of user needs has been guiding our design work for years. The special expertise we receive from Gofore has been very valuable throughout the design process as well as the design of interactive and visual elements.

MIKAEL MOLANDER, PRODUCT MANAGER, HITACHI ENERGY

the result

Design thinking has become a permanent aspect of Hitachi Energy’s product development

MicroSCADA X’s user-friendly multi-platform interface is continuously improved through user feedback. The versatile system can be found in all kinds of environments ranging from the Helsinki Museum of Contemporary Art to the Catalonian railway network.

The close-knit collaboration between Gofore’s designers and Hitachi Energy’s developers is still ongoing. Gofore has had the chance to dive deep into the nuances and demands of the energy sector during the partnership.

– An in-depth understanding of user needs has been guiding our design work for years. The special expertise we receive from Gofore has been very valuable throughout the design process as well as the design of interactive and visual elements, Hitachi Energy’s Product Manager Mikael Molander says.

The partnership has expanded to include other products as well: Gofore has developed touch screen and online interfaces for protective relays as well as unified user experience between different Hitachi Energy products.

– Design thinking has become a permanent aspect of Hitachi Energy’s product development during our partnership. The agile and close-knit collaboration between designers and developers is practically seamless, and an iterative approach is a distinctive feature in all our joint projects, Gofore’s Maija Paananen sums up.