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PRESS KIT

The new en-route centre for Brussels National airport by Belgocontrol:

Symbio plays a role in the success story

10 February 2010 is the inauguration date for Belgocontrol’s new CANAC 2 en-route centre, one of the most modern in Europe. It marks the culmination of several years of work for Belgocontrol and the many sub-contractors involved.

Symbio, a Belgian company, was one of the sub-contractors that worked on this important project.

Its team of ergonomists and designers analysed and implemented the new control room and its 73 work stations.

Belgocontrol CANAC2 « en-route » centre

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TABLE OF CONTENTS

1. The mission of Symbio in CANAC 2....................................................................................31.1 What was the problem with the old work stations?.........................................................31.2 The stages of the mission...........................................................................................4

Console analysis (2004-2005), subcontracting for Tractebel..............................................4Room plan analysis (2006), subcontracting for Tractebel..................................................4Realisation and implementation (2007 and 2008), subcontracting for Thales........................5

1.3 The new organisation.................................................................................................62. Symbio’s strengths.........................................................................................................7

2.1 Solid references........................................................................................................72.2 A collaborative approach, with a scientific touch.............................................................72.3 The alpha and the omega...........................................................................................8

Consoles....................................................................................................................8Control rooms ...........................................................................................................9Belgocontrol control tower ...........................................................................................9Work spaces and life spaces ........................................................................................9User interfaces and cognitive ergonomics......................................................................10Appliances ...............................................................................................................11

3. Symbio, the company....................................................................................................123.1 How it all began......................................................................................................12

Denis JAVAUX ..........................................................................................................12Patrick VANDERSTRAETEN..........................................................................................12Georges VROONEN....................................................................................................12

3.2 Why ‘Symbio’?........................................................................................................133.3 ID card..................................................................................................................133.4 Coordinates............................................................................................................14

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1. The mission of Symbio in CANAC 2

CANAC 21 is replacing the previous centre, dating from 1993. When launched, that centre was one of the most modern in Europe. Since then, overflying and on-approach traffic have greatly increased, at the same time that technology has made gigantic steps forward. And within the framework of the “Single European Sky”, which advocates a harmonisation of systems, it is also necessary to adapt to the European regulatory requirements regarding interoperability.

This required updating certain systems, as well as new ergonomics for the work stations and for the whole room.

1.1 What was the problem with the old work stations?

The previous en-route centre used a “single screen” philosophy, meaning that certain data were visible on the screen, while others were communicated to the operator either on paper or electronic media, but not integrated with the work console. In other words, the operator had to have “eyes and ears everywhere”.

The Symbio team’s work thus consisted of rethinking the design, down to the individual consoles.

But beyond the individual work of the controllers, the interactions between team members could also be improved. The controllers were sitting along a row, meaning they sometimes had difficulty communicating with each other from one end of the line to the other. They would have to leave their posts or at the least raise their voices.

15 hours per week

The workers could lose up to 15 hours per week from using inefficient appliances (tools, software, etc) or from poor work practices.

Source: Ergonomics and management, Sacha Kocovski, Edi.pro 2009.

1 CANAC is an acronym for “Computer Assisted National Air Traffic Control Centre”.

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1.2 The stages of the mission

Symbio’s work was achieved in several stages

Console analysis (2004-2005), subcontracting for Tractebel

- Creation of a users’ workgroup: faithful to its participative methodology, Symbio collaborated with a workgroup composed of a dozen people representing the 350 air traffic controllers who would be using the new room. All functions were represented in the group: daytime controllers, night-time controllers, simple operators, supervisors, etc.

- Visiting other en-route centres, with the group: including, among others, Athis-Mons near the Orly airport and Arlanda Airport in Stockholm.

- Determining an exhaustive list of equipment for each console: microphones, loudspeakers, computer mice, touch screens, plugs, etc. The pertinence of each element had to be duly analysed (for example, is it really necessary to include paper and writing implements? These were included at the beginning, but were finally determined to be unnecessary).

- Arrangement of the equipment : an in-depth analysis, using photos and video, made it possible to determine the usage frequency of the various equipment and the critical aspects relating to their accessibility, and to thus establish the optimal arrangement on the console.

- Full-size mock-up of the console , followed by several prototypes. This was the point at which the triptych console idea materialised, permitting equidistant visibility of three screens.

Mock-up of the Belgocontrol CANAC 2 console

Room plan analysis (2006), subcontracting for Tractebel

- Analysis of the interactions between controllers and other teams: air traffic control is handled by four teams, each made up 14 controllers. Each team is

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under the responsibility of a supervisor. An ergonomic analysis determined the required interactions and their frequencies.

- Development of various room plan projects, finally leading to the selection of a “petal” configuration (see below).

Realisation and implementation (2007 and 2008), subcontracting for Thales

- Realisation of the consoles and raised access floors : the realisation phase actually began in the workshop in 2007. The framework is in metal, the working surfaces in solid grade laminate and sheet steel. Each console has adjustable height and includes a fully-adjustable foot-rest to adapt to the morphology of each controller (every post is occupied 24/24).

- Installation at Steenokerzeel : from February to October 2008, a team of 10 assemblers worked on the installation of the 73 consoles. Various utilisation tests took place during the work. Once this was finished, it was time for the training of the 350 controllers and the migration of the computer systems, in November 2009.

Installation of the Belgocontrol CANAC 2 consoles

12 tonnes of steel!

The manufacture of the 73 consoles and the raised access floors of the new en-route centre required the use of 12 tonnes of steel

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1.3 The new organisation

The new operations room was configured in a “petal” layout to improve verbal and gestural communication between the air traffic controllers.

The triptych configuration of the console guarantees maximum availability of operational data and information, by offering a unique access point for all the air traffic control tools.

The centre also includes a rest area, showers, micro-chambers, lockers, a technical room, a training room, and more. Symbio and the Belgocontrol workgroup contributed to the design of all of these.

Layout of the Belgocontrol CANAC 2 operations room

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2. Symbio’s strengths

2.1 Solid references

Since its foundation in 2007, Symbio has built upon the three-times 20 years of experience of its three founders: Patrick Vanderstraeten and Georges Vroonen, industrial designers, and Denis Javaux, ergonomist.

Their complementary profiles, combining academic experience and field knowledge, make it possible for Symbio to today offer an integrated approach, from ergonomic analysis to implementation, in the following domains: consoles, control rooms, work and life spaces, user interfaces and cognitive ergonomics, products.

Principles references: Belgocontrol, Thales, Eurocontrol, Airbus, Tractebel Engineering, Electrabel, ArcelorMittal, European Investment Bank, the Cointe Tunnel, CBR-Heidelberg, KPMG.

2.2 A collaborative approach, with a scientific touch

Symbio’s big “trademark” is participative design: for all the projects they implement, the designers and ergonomists elaborate, together with the users and based on a dedicated methodology, various solutions integrating the information the users provide on their needs, constraints and wants.

This user participation can take many forms: workgroups, interviews, assessment centres, ergonomic analyses supported by photos or videos, etc.

Using a range of methods sometimes exposes potential “conflict” between the operator and the equipment.

The various alternative solutions are proposed in meetings and worked on with the interested parties, in order to arrive at harmonious solutions that take into account the relationships between man and his work environment.

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2.3 The alpha and the omega

What makes Symbio’s offer unique is the palette of services that includes both the analysis and design, but also the manufacture and implementation of five product ranges. Symbio offers its services to clients either ‘a la carte’, or partially or completely, covering the complete operational lifecycle of the products.

The palette of services: - requirements analysis;- design and specification; - predictive evaluation;- mock-up design, manufacture and implementation ;- prototype design, manufacture and implementation ;- final product manufacture and implementation ;- training, operational procedures and working methods ;- reporting systems.

Symbio provides all of its services, a la carte or integrated, for the following products:

ConsolesWhether for heavy industry (iron and steel industry, cement manufacturing, etc.), aeronautics or the service sector (trading rooms), today consoles are a key element of all control and production processes.Symbio’s primary references in this domain include: Belgocontrol (Brussels National Airport control tower, CANAC 2 project), Eurocontrol (analysis of consoles for an en-route centre being considered in Vienna) and ArcelorMittal (iron and steel site in Kessales, new control rooms and Skin Pass Quarto station).

Belgocontrol CANAC 2 consoles

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Control rooms

This requires studying the installation of the work station (the console) in a place or a room, and organising the spatial layout of all of the consoles and work stations together. Within this framework, analyses of interaction (how the various operators must communicate, interact and cooperate between themselves) and accessibility to processes (e.g. supporting the operator’s visibility of an industrial process) play a contributing role.

Symbio’s references in this domain include: Belgocontrol (Brussels National Airport control tower, CANAC 2 project), the European Investment Bank in Luxembourg (trading room), ArcelorMittal (iron and steel site in Kessales, new control rooms) and Suez-Tractebel (installation of a control system for the gas terminal in Sines, Portugal

Belgocontrol control tower

Work spaces and life spaces

Similar methods to those used for the consoles and control rooms are applied for work spaces and life spaces, as well: requirements analyses, interaction studies, anthropometric observations, etc. Particular attention may be placed on the audiovisual set-up (placement of screens, microphones, buttons) and lighting.

The references of Symbio in this domain include: the Committee Room of the Walloon Parliament, CBR-Heidelberg (cement factory), office floors of the FMSS and of KPMG.

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FMSS conference room

User interfaces and cognitive ergonomicsThe user interfaces aim to ensure that the technical data which appear on a screen are pertinent and understandable by all operators: quickly and in the same way. This includes, for example, creating symbols and associating them with colour codes, keeping in mind local and cultural implication. In particular, certain symbols can represent material flows (a steel strip) equipment (a conveyor), movement (an airplane), etc.This work requires listening closely to the users and must be validated by them.Cognitive ergonomics seeks to study the mental processes of the operators, and to utilise this understanding in the design of the systems that they use and of their environmentSymbio’s references in this domain include: Suez-Tractebel (imaging in nuclear power plant, intranet and extranet portals), Airbus (automatic pilots for A380, A400M and A350).

TA1 DL5 ArcelorMittal synoptic control

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Appliances

From the simplest to the most complex, product design is a more “traditional” field of design. Symbio uses rapid prototyping processes, defines the manufacturing plans and files and writes the technical specification for the series production.Symbio’s references in this domain include: Medex (radiography console), D3A (osteodensitometry unit), Wave (audio-visual module integrated into furniture).

Osteodensitometry unit D3A

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3. Symbio, the company

3.1 How it all began

Symbio was born from the meeting of three individuals, accustomed to working side by side on joint projects.

Prompted by the scope of the challenge involved in completing the CANAC 2 building site, naturally these three specialists began to reflect upon the idea of setting up a company together, which they subsequently did.

Denis JAVAUX

• Ergonomist.• From 1990-2002, international researcher at the University of Liege,

principally in aviation. More than 40 publications. • Contracts with Airbus Industrie, collaborations with NASA, Honeywell,

Stanford Research Institute, CENA/DGAC.• Permanent consultant for Tractebel since 1994. • Participation in autopilot design for the Airbus A380, A400M and A350.

Involved in future projects for the aircraft manufacturer. Participation on behalf of Airbus in the EU ISAAC and HUMAN projects.

• Scientific collaborator (cognitive ergonomics) at the University of Liege.

Patrick VANDERSTRAETEN• Industrial and graphical designer.• Designer and consultant on an international level for the last 20 years.• Part-time lecturer at the ISD (Institut Supérieur de Design/France) and at St-

Luc, Liege.• Registered industrial designer for AWEX (Walloon Export and Foreign

Investment Agency).• Scientific collaborator (cognitive ergonomics) at the University of Liege.

Georges VROONEN• Industrial and graphical designer.• Designer and consultant on an international level for the last 20 years

(including for the TGV).• Part-time lecturer at Saint-Luc Liege.• Registered industrial designer for AWEX (Walloon Export and Foreign

Investment Agency).• Scientific collaborator (cognitive ergonomics) at the University of Liege.

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3.2 Why ‘Symbio’?

In choosing the name of their company, the founders turned to the word “symbiosis” to emphasise their desire to work in perfect accord not only with their clients, but also with the work environment.

It also refers to the symbiosis between two universes – ergonomics and design – that use different tools, but that work towards the same end: to understand the human being in order to provide him with objects and environments that optimise his work.

The logo – a stylised face – evokes the work philosophy of Symbio, which is oriented towards the human. “Technology works for people, not the other way around.”

The global and systemic approach of Symbio considers the work space as a whole and takes into account not only the operational aspects but other concepts as well, such as maintenance, accessibility, security, cleaning, etc.

3.3 ID card

SYMBIO sprl in short- Activities: an integrated approach, from ergonomic analyses to implementation, towards consoles, control rooms, work and life spaces, user interfaces and cognitive ergonomics, products.- Founded: 2007.- Location: Bassenge - Liege (Belgium).- Personnel: 3.- Revenue: 920 000 EUR*.- Principal markets: iron and steel industry, cement manufacturing, aeronautics, services, banking industry, medical and pharmaceutical sectors.

* 2008 figures

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3.4 Coordinates

Symbio sprlSur les Coteaux, 264690 BassengeBelgiumTel + 32 4 286 90 03Web : www.symbio.pro

Symbio contact: Patrick Vanderstraeten 0477/516 600, patrick.vanderstraeten@symbio.pro Press contact: Madeleine Dembour 0478/67 25 43, md@kalamos.be