SA Design Patterns

Reusable visualization strategies that combine multiple Situation Awareness (SA) principles into cohesive, real-world dashboard designs. Adapted from Endsley & Jones’ concept of Design Schemas in Designing for Situation Awareness, these patterns translate cognitive theory into practical display structures for industrial operations.

Why SA Design Patterns Matter

SA Design Patterns are recurrent forms of layout, interaction, and information flow that embody effective ways to support Situation Awareness. Developed through years of research and real-world implementation, they offer designers repeatable solutions that promote perception, comprehension, and projection without increasing cognitive load.

In environments with large volumes of dynamic, time-sensitive information, these patterns provide structured ways to keep users oriented, informed, and in control — even as process conditions change rapidly.

For industrial dashboards, they offer practical guidance for integrating multiple SA concepts into displays that remain goal-driven, flexible, and cognitively clear.

How Patterns Fit in the Framework

Within the Clear Picture SA Framework, design patterns are demonstrated through prototyped dashboards that show how multiple principles combine to support awareness. Many examples are developed in Tatsoft FrameworX for its speed and flexibility, though the intent is not to favor a specific platform — but to illustrate how SA-oriented design logic can be implemented across different industrial tools.

SA Concepts continue to be evaluated across multiple visualization platforms to maintain vendor neutrality. Design patterns serve as illustrative models that highlight how principles interact to form complete, cognitively aligned display strategies.

Current SA Design Patterns