Future-Proofing Your Control Room:

Technology and Design Best Practices
Control rooms are evolving at an unprecedented pace. Operators face increasing demands to monitor complex systems, integrate emerging technologies, and maintain continuous performance.

To ensure your control room remains effective and adaptable, future-proofing is essential. Even the best consoles and technology can fall short if the surrounding environment undermines focus: true reliability is achieved when the entire room supports operator performance.

Key Environmental Factors That Impact Accuracy

Acoustics
Poor sound control increases stress and distraction. Proper acoustic planning improves communication clarity and reduces fatigue.

Lighting
The correct type of lighting, placed in the correct position, and set at the correct lighting level, produces a safe, productive and ergonomic lighting solution.

Traffic Flow
Unplanned foot traffic disrupts focus and increases risk. Clear circulation paths protect concentration and safety.

Cable Management & Access
Organized infrastructure supports uptime, simplifies maintenance, and reduces the risk of failures during critical operations.

 

Solutions That Support Accuracy and Reliability

Integrated Consoles & Monitor Mounting
Designed to support clear sightlines, adjustability, and seamless technology integration.

24/7 Ergonomic Seating & Height-Adjustable Workstations
Supporting posture, comfort, and alertness during extended operations.

Infrastructure-Ready Design
Built-in cable management, power redundancy, and access points that support uptime and future expansion.

Scalable Layouts
Solutions designed to grow with operational demands—without redesign or disruption.

Workflow Optimization Built for 24/7 Operations
A control room designed around operator workflows enhances performance and safety. Mapping processes, decision points, and communication flows allows designers to place technology and tools where they are most effective. Workflow-centric design ensures the room adapts as operational demands change.

Infrastructure Planning
Cable management, power redundancy, and environmental controls (lighting, acoustics, HVAC) are foundational to future-proofing. A well-planned infrastructure supports new technologies and equipment upgrades without disruption.

Growth Planning
Future-proofing also means scalability. Control rooms should accommodate new teams, additional monitoring stations, and expanded technology without requiring major redesigns. This flexibility protects your investment and ensures long-term operational resilience.

Empower Your Operators
Future-proofing a control room requires thoughtful integration of technology, ergonomic design, workflow optimization, and infrastructure planning. When executed correctly, operators are empowered, efficiency is maximized, and mission-critical performance is sustained over time.

Case in Point:
At the Harvey, Illinois Real-Time Crime Center (RTCC), operators must quickly interpret live video feeds, data streams, and communications to support law enforcement and public safety decisions. Maintaining situational awareness across multiple systems was critical—but the existing setup limited efficiency.

Working with Steve Epstein, Midwest Regional Sales Manager, Winsted designed a solution that optimized monitor placement, integrated technology platforms, and improved workflow organization within the control room. Consoles were configured to support rapid information access and seamless collaboration.

The result was a more productive, responsive RTCC environment that enables its operators to maintain clarity, speed, and focus during time-sensitive situations that directly impact community safety.

About Winsted
For over 60 years, Winsted has designed control room solutions. Our operator-out approach focuses on human-centered design, tailoring consoles, technology, and workflows to maximize efficiency, safety, and mission readiness. By studying operator interactions and decision-making processes, we create environments that reduce fatigue, minimize errors, and support critical operations. With Winsted, your control room is engineered to perform reliably, 24/7, under any conditions.