The evolution of advanced control systems has provided process owners with improved product yields, more steady state on stream time and lower energy costs. However, the more reliable the process becomes, the less chance for the operator to have meaningful interaction in the process. Many training departments have proclaimed that training is no longer a real issue, knowledge is now captured and these facilities are highly compliant. Yet their management commonly states that “Our knowledge is walking out the door”.

The control room is dynamic requiring cognitive abilities to gain meaningful understanding of process characteristics, predict process conditions and properly respond to abnormal situations. It takes the skills of a “chess” player. Have linear knowledge management and training “Best Practices” kept pace with the evolution of the process operator or have we reached a “tipping point”?