Industrial-automation software is not consumer-facing and sits well outside the consciousness of modern software users and designers alike. Those who are familiar with industrial-automation software commonly view this as a domain of control systems, processes, computers, and machines—things that aren’t human.

However, industrial-automation software is more human facing than you might think. People design the software that runs the machines and processes that mass produce these human-facing products for people. People are still a big part of the processes of manufacturing.

Human factors still matter in the industrial environment. A high-quality user experience is critical because it enables human users who work with control systems and machines to produce consumer-facing products more effectively and efficiently.