Learn how to design high-performance graphics in AVEVA System Platform using OMI and ArchestrA Symbols for clarity, usability, and scalability.
Graphics are the face of your SCADA/industrial application. Poorly designed graphics overwhelm operators with clutter, slow down thin clients, and hide critical information.
AVEVA System Platform leverages ArchestrA Graphics and Operations Management Interface (OMI) to deliver modern, scalable, and situationally aware operator displays. When designed properly, OMI dashboards improve decision-making, reduce alarm floods, and support multi-site operations.
This article covers best practices for building high-performance graphics in System Platform。
1. Use ArchestrA Graphics for Reusability
- ArchestrA Graphics are object-linked symbols stored centrally in the Galaxy
- Symbols are reusable across instances — one motor symbol can represent dozens of motors
- Changes made to a symbol update everywhere it’s used
Best Practice:
- Create a symbol library early in the project
- Standardize motor, valve, pump, and tank symbols for consistency
2. Apply Situational Awareness Principles
- Avoid flashy or cluttered graphics
- Use grayscale for normal states and color only for abnormal states (alarms, warnings)
- Display only the information operators need to make decisions
Example: Instead of showing every pipeline detail, display flow only when a valve changes state or a pump fails
3. Build Context-Driven Dashboards in OMI
- OMI supports context-aware navigation: selecting an equipment object automatically updates the display with relevant graphics
- Use navigation models that reflect the plant hierarchy (Plant → Area → Unit → Equipment)
- Deploy dashboards across multiple sites or clients without redesigning
Best Practice:
- Keep navigation simple and intuitive (no more than 3 clicks to reach key displays)
- Group related graphics by process area for operator clarity
4. Leverage OMI Apps for Faster Development
OMI comes with prebuilt apps that extend operator dashboards without heavy engineering effort:
- Alarm App: Displays real-time alarms for the selected area
- Trend App: Shows real-time and historical trends
- Map App: Visualizes geographically distributed assets
Pro Tip: Use OMI apps to complement ArchestrA graphics, reducing the need for custom development
5. Optimize for Thin Clients and Mobile
- Avoid high-resolution backgrounds or unnecessary animations (these slow down remote displays)
- Use vector graphics instead of bitmaps
- Test performance on thin clients and remote web clients early in the project
Example: One customer reduced screen load time from 12 seconds to under 2 seconds by replacing bitmap-heavy mimics with vector-based graphics.
6. Test and Validate with Operators
System Platform applications are deployed via Application Object Servers (AppServers).
- Involve operators in design reviews
- Validate that graphics highlight what matters most (alarms, KPIs, states)
- Use simulation data during testing to ensure symbols and dashboards behave correctly
High-performance graphics aren’t about making your dashboards look “pretty” — they’re about clarity, usability, and speed. By leveraging ArchestrA Symbols, OMI dashboards, and situational awareness principles, System Platform enables scalable, modern, and efficient operator interfaces.
Learn graphics design hands-on:
Our System Platform Training provides practical, instructor-led experience in:
- Building reusable ArchestrA symbols and libraries.
- Applying situational awareness principles to operator graphics.
- Configuring OMI navigation models and dashboards.
- Deploying optimized graphics across thin clients and remote users.
Register today to master the art of creating operator graphics that are fast, intuitive, and built to scale
