Integrated Operations Centre (IOC) Design
One room where the whole operation is visible
An integrated operations centre brings control room operators, planners and technical specialists into one designed space, with sight of the whole value chain and clear ownership of each decision. We design the room that makes that way of working possible.
An IOC is mostly a change in how people work. The building is the smaller part, but a badly designed room can undo the change. We designed and delivered a 21-position mining operations centre that brought three shafts into one room.
Who sits where
A floor layout that follows the value chain, so people who depend on each other can see and talk to each other.
One version of the truth
An overview wall that shows the whole operation simply, with the detail at each desk.
Planners close by
Collaboration and meeting spaces next to the control floor, not down a corridor.
Visitors without disruption
A viewing route so visitors see the room without standing behind operators.
Emergency arrangements
For underground mines, an emergency control room that meets Chapter 16 without splitting command on the floor.
How We Help
Define what you are buying
IOC or remote operations centre, decided in writing before design starts, because it changes the room, the people and the budget.
Live, phased, night work
Design the centre
Layout, consoles, overview wall, acoustics, lighting and support spaces, designed to ISO 11064 principles.
MOC, permits, surveys
Specify, not sell
Performance specifications any qualified supplier can price, so you are not tied to one vendor.
Outage programme
An IOC in Numbers
21
Operator positions in our largest mining operations centre
3
Shafts brought into one room
4
Wall screens per operator, above each desk
100+
Control rooms designed by Oculus
Figures from an operating mine in the Northern Cape, delivered 2021 to 2022.
What an IOC is not
An IOC is not a bigger control room, and it is not a technology project. It works when site teams keep their accountability and the centre helps them make better decisions across the whole chain. If the brief is only to move control of a process to a central room, you are buying a remote operations centre, which is a different design. We help you decide which before anyone draws a layout.
The hardest technical problem is usually aggregation. Dispatch, SCADA, ventilation, hoisting, tracking and CCTV all need to reach the same wall, and by default nobody owns that job. We name the owner in the design.
Standards Behind Every Design
We design with reference to the standards that matter for people in control rooms. Tap a card to see what each one covers.
ISO 11064Ergonomic design of control centresTap to read more
Layout, workstation, display and environmental requirements for control rooms, from concept to evaluation.
ISO 6385Ergonomics of work systemsTap to read more
The principles behind designing work around people: tasks, equipment and environment together.
EEMUA 201Control room design guidanceTap to read more
Practical guidance on human-centred control room and HMI design for process industries.
EEMUA 191Alarm systemsTap to read more
How to design, manage and measure alarm systems so operators are not flooded.
ISA-18.2 / IEC 62682Alarm management lifecycleTap to read more
The lifecycle for alarm philosophy, rationalisation and performance monitoring.
ISA-101HMI designTap to read more
How operator screens should be structured, from plant overview down to equipment detail.
IOGP 454Human factors in projectsTap to read more
Human factors engineering built into capital projects from the start.
Your site codesLocal and owner specificationsTap to read more
Your own specifications and the codes in force where you build always take precedence.
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between an IOC and a remote operations centre?
A remote operations centre moves control of a site or process to a central room. An IOC brings operators, planners and technical specialists together to manage the whole value chain. Many projects need one, then grow into the other.
Is an IOC a way to reduce headcount?
That should not be the reason for one. The value comes from better decisions across the whole operation, with site teams still accountable for their areas.
Can you design an IOC for an operating mine?
Yes. Our largest mining operations centre was designed and installed on an operating mine, bringing three shafts into one room.
Do you supply the video wall and consoles?
In South Africa we can supply, fabricate and install as one accountable party, or write a performance specification for your preferred suppliers. In the GCC we design and local partners supply.
Which standards apply?
We design to ISO 11064 principles for control centre ergonomics. For underground mines, Chapter 16 of the Mine Health and Safety Regulations sets requirements for the emergency control room.