Visual Representation of Complex Information Structures in High Volume Manufacturing

While research supports the use of graphic data representations in interfaces and control systems, work in this area has focused on relatively small systems with a limited number of variables. This paper describes an approach to designing a visual application for a semiconductor manufacturing plant. This is a complex, large-scale system requiring a structured design methodology. First, using cognitive work analysis techniques an Abstraction Decomposition Space (ADS) of the system is generated. Second, as with ecological interface design, we demonstrate how this ADS can inform the display design. The complexity and scale of the system has required us to make adjustments to both of these frameworks. The resulting display requires multiple views of the system, information hiding and user interaction. Taking a wider set of analyses onboard, we present a design rationale supporting the explicit representation of hierarchies, the compatibility of views and the use of contextual navigation.