• looking through a glass partition at a technical workspace with a row of operator workstations with individual computers and screens, and a large wall-mounted computer displays
  • oblique view, from the right, of operator workstations with individual computer systems, in a row which also faces a number of larger wall-mounted screens for shared information
  • oblique view, from the left, of operator workstations with individual computer systems, in a row which also faces a number of larger wall-mounted screens for shared information

The Customer’s Challenges:

Managing the geographically dispersed and steadily growing infrastructure and services of a large international manufacturing group 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days per year, was becoming untenable without a centralized command and monitoring facility. With mismatched systems and long distances, coordination and communication problems had become commonplace, and executives lacked access to critical information to guide decision-making. The customer required a consolidated facility for remote onsite monitoring and executive data reporting, and to support transferring production workload between different equipment quickly to stay ahead of the competition.

Our Solution:

Over a one-week period, our staff visited the customer headquarters and interviewed several executives, taking note of their current IT systems and command and control capabilities and needs.

Drawing on our proven ECC Planning and Design Process, we analyzed current conditions, then created logical and physical designs for a centralized Enterprise Command Center  (ECC) to monitor the factories’ various IT systems.  The ECC boasts dashboard views of real-time production operations for situational awareness and for at-a-glance understanding of crisis events.

Our 3D Team developed a conceptual physical design featuring large screen technology for critical status indicators. Furthermore, we evaluated communications and traffic-flow models to maximize operational efficiency, plus we produced a design visualization of the building's edifice and interior suitable for further refinement by an architectural partner.

Project Benefits for the Customer:

Our design and recommendations report was well received by the customer team. Our recommendations related to building hardening for security benefits.  The report included hundreds of recommendations for improving the existing locations, and a long-term strategic guide for ongoing maturation of facilities and work processes. Anticipatory of an epidemic such as COVID-19, proposed space increases between operator workstations allowed a six-foot social distancing separation in order to minimize transmission of illness.

Specific benefits include, but are not limited to:

  1. Enhanced monitoring and data flow automation
  2. Optimization of traffic flow and communication
  3. Increase in situational awareness
  4. Immediate and well-coordinated responsiveness in crisis situations
  5. Healthy, comfortable working conditions leading to physical and mental well-being of employees and enhanced productivity
  6. Presentation value for potential VIP visitors to the control center.