Design Pattern: PF(1) Details hierarchy

Context

Within his area of responsibility and authority, the human operator needs to comprehend sets of incoming alarms displayed by alarm displays. Based on these displays, he would like to explore the overall alarm information space according to different alarm dimensions such as typology, priority, or location.

Problem

The human operator needs to explore the overall alarm information space according to different alarm dimensions in order to diagnose the cause of a failure in the controlled process.
Solution

Use a standard display hierarchy to present the multi-level views necessary for exploring alarm information. These levels follow an expected progression from the general to the more detailed in order to aid the operator in performing different tasks. A single first level can be associated with several secondary levels. Each secondary level can only be associated therefore with a single first level.

Known uses
Fig1. Hierarchy of levels applied to an alarm visualization interface for a power plant
Fig2. Hierarchy of levels Hierarchy of levels applied to the SIMATIC PCS 7 process control system developed by Siemens
Rationale

A display hierarchy delivers a robust structure that encourages ready access to information while at the same time keeping important situation context and promoting efficient navigation to go deeper (Rothenberg, D. H. (2009). Alarm management for process control: A best-practice guide for design, implementation, and use of industrial alarm systems McGraw-Hill Education.)
Relations