Behaviors, strategies, and subconscious visualizations of Eskom grid controllers using an Insight Quotient (InQ) approach

Abstract

Within the South African, Eskom, National Control Centre, highly skilled individuals are responsible for the control of the transmission grid. It is imperative that we understand how these individuals make fast complex decisions when they perform control operations. In order to obtain information about the mental processes, which enable them to make fast intuitive decisions a three-part protocol was used. The first step consisted of video recording the voltage controllers at work on a network simulator. This was followed by in-depth interviews in order to identify their control strategies. Then the subconscious mental imagery, which makes it possible for them to operate, was elicited. In this research expert and novice voltage controllers were included as well as one in-house Human Machine Interface (HMI) developer. The findings were that over and above the conscious control strategies employed the controllers used sophisticated subconscious mental strategies and images that allowed them to simplify the overwhelming quantity of data presented to them in order to effect fast complex operations. The elicitation was achieved by developing the controllers' Insight Quotient or InQ. These findings show great promise when it comes to understanding how controllers perform their complex task