Simplify the User Interface and Manage Different Levels of Users
EDM’s Account Management program controls the accessibility of features from different users. This provides a structure for managing the privileges for different groups of users. The Account Manager can be used to prevent lower-level users from adjusting parameters or display settings. It also allows users to customize the toolbars for a simplified user interface. By hiding certain features, the UI can be made much easier to use.
Figure 1: Account Options
Each individual software function can be toggled as ‘Viewable’ and/or ‘Editable’. This controls which functions can be seen by the user and which ones can be modified by the user. By creating custom user accounts, the Administrator account would be able to generate tests for technicians, and the technician accounts would have a very limited UI.
Figure 2: Customize Toolbar
In one application the end-user required a setup for 3 levels of access: “Admin”, “Engineer”, and “Technician”. The Admin accounts were given full control. The Engineer was locked out of shaker parameters, Spider system configurations, and database management that were set up by the Admin. The Technician account was only permitted to verify setups, run tests, create plots, export data, and create reports.
When a function is not viewable, it is hidden from the UI and is not editable. When a function is viewable and not editable, related settings or UI are displayed but not editable. This Account Management feature allows users to create multiple accounts for possible scenarios. Below is an example of a very clean interface for the operator to run/stop tests and switch signal displays. All other functions such as switching tests, managing tests, or changing settings are disabled and hidden. Simpler UI gives operators limited functions but helps them focus on what they should do.
Control Panel changes based on the VCS Advanced Commands option.
