Key Considerations When Upgrading Your Control Room Infrastructure
High-performing control rooms don’t start with furniture or technology—they start with understanding how operators actually work.

Delivering accuracy and reliability requires a deliberate process that measures performance, identifies gaps, and designs solutions around real-world workflows.

Assess Current and Future Needs
Before any upgrade, evaluate current performance and identify anticipated operational changes. Consider expanding teams, evolving technology, and new operational demands—and how factors like acoustics and lighting may impact operator performance and comfort. Optimizing sound control and lighting design helps reduce fatigue, minimize errors, and maintain focus. Understanding these elements ensures the upgraded control room remains effective and adaptable over time.

 

Technology Integration
Integrating multiple systems into a cohesive, user-friendly platform minimizes operator error and enhances situational awareness. Upgrades should focus on interoperability, scalability, and future compatibility with emerging technology.

Ergonomics and Operator Comfort
Operator well-being directly impacts performance. Adjustable consoles, proper display placement, and accessible controls reduce fatigue and allow staff to operate efficiently during long shifts. High-quality chairs and seating designed for 24/7 support provide continuous comfort, proper posture, and reduced strain, even during extended operations. Ergonomic upgrades are as important as technological improvements, ensuring operators stay alert, focused, and mission-ready.

Infrastructure Planning
Upgrades should account for cabling, power redundancy, cooling, lighting, and acoustics. Proper infrastructure ensures new technology performs reliably and can be expanded or upgraded in the future without major disruption.

Workflow-Centric Design
Control room upgrades must consider the flow of operations. Mapping tasks, communication channels, and decision-making processes ensures that technology and workstations are positioned to maximize efficiency and operator effectiveness.

Compliance and Safety
Ensure upgrades meet industry codes, safety standards, and regulatory requirements. A compliant control room protects operators, assets, and organizational integrity.

Case in Point:
At a large-scale energy operations center, operators were responsible for overseeing complex processes across multiple systems in real time. Fragmented layouts and inefficient workflows made it difficult to maintain productivity during peak operational periods.

In collaboration with Jason D’Ambra, Global Strategic Market Manager, Winsted helped design a streamlined control room solution that unified technology, improved workstation functionality, and aligned console layouts with operator tasks. Modular consoles and integrated displays reduced unnecessary movement and simplified access to critical information.

The redesigned environment enabled operators to work more efficiently, respond faster to changing conditions, and maintain productivity under pressure without adding cognitive or physical strain.

 

Empower Your Operators 
Upgrading a control room is a strategic opportunity to enhance operator performance, integrate technology, and future-proof operations. With careful planning, organizations can maximize ROI and operational efficiency while creating an environment that supports mission-critical work around the clock.

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.