GeoX is an evolving offering of tools for upstream petroleum decision support. The product has increased significantly both in scope and depth of the decisions supported since the first version was released in 1992. However, some constants in the form of a few key principles, have shaped and continue to shape the architecting of the product.
The principles are obviously related to genereal useability design guidelines that favor consistency, simplicity, user control and user feedback, guidance and error prevention, recognition rather than recall as well as flexibility and efficiency in use. These general guidelines are also in part handled by adhering to interface standards of the current main platform for deployment of GeoX, MS Windows.
Our guidelines can be summarized in two main inter-related principles for a decision centered design:
DECISION SUPPORT TOOLS RATHER THAN DECISION MAKING SYSTEMS
- Support evaluation of alternatives that are generated by the user. Assist user in generating alternatives.
- Assist learning from experience.
- Produce assessment results in terms of all relevant decision criteria.
- Design for direct use by expert. Support the use of both data and judgement. Avoid expert systems where the user is relegated the role of providing input data and has to accept the system's conclusion.
- Avoid black box optimization engines.
- Give direct rapid access to simple functionality and unveil richer functionality when needed or relevant.
ACTIVE SUPPORT OF BEST PRACTICE DECISION MAKING
- While leaving the expert user in control, structure functions and the interface so that the expert chooses to use the tools according to best practice.
- Provide tools and procedures that enable the system to reflect company specific best practice.
Underlying these principles is a primacy of understanding both the decision making process and the decision situations targeted by GeoX. This understanding does not only need to capture what is -- how decisions are made, but also encapsulate how decision making can be improved.
|
|
