Quantitative Measures of Performance of Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs)

Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) are critical for safely operating complex, hazard-sensitive systems in Society 5.0. The SOPs are particularly important for dealing with non-normal and emergency operations in which the human operator must intervene and/or provide instructions during near-autonomous operations. The SOPs must be completed within an Allowable Operational Time Window (AOTW) to avert a hazardous outcome for safe and efficient operations. The AOTW is often not fixed but exhibits variance due to complex, non-linear plant dynamics. The time to perform the procedure, Time on Procedure (ToP), is also subject to variability due to human factors such as experience, proficiency, fatigue, and the efficacy of the supporting automation user interface. For this reason, an analysis of the dynamic performance of the SOPs must be conducted. This analysis should take into consideration both the variability in AOTW and ToP. The performance of the SOP can be defined by a metric: the probability of the procedure not being completed in a timely manner (i.e., ToP exceeds the AOTW). This metric can monitor operations when the system is fielded and evaluate system designs in the development phase.