Context is King: The Importance of Considering Context in Problem Solving

Context is everything: the difference between understanding and misunderstanding, success and failure, effective and ineffective solutions. - Unknown.

Context is crucial in control systems engineering as it provides the necessary information to design an effective control system. Understanding the context helps engineers determine the system's goals, the inputs and outputs, and the constraints that must be considered in the design process. For example, the context for a control system in a chemical plant will be very different from that of a control system in an automobile. Safety concerns and environmental regulations will be critical in the chemical plant, while efficiency and performance will be more important in the car. With a clear understanding of the context, designing a control system to meet the application's requirements is possible.

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One real-life situation where a controls engineer ignored context is the Therac-25 radiation therapy machine disaster. In the 1980s, a software-controlled medical device called the Therac-25 was designed to deliver radiation therapy to patients with cancer. However, due to a software error, the machine sometimes delivered doses of radiation that were 100 times more than the prescribed amount, resulting in several patient deaths and injuries.

Investigations revealed that the controls engineer responsible for designing the software had ignored the context of the system, which was critical in a medical environment. The engineer had assumed that the software would work flawlessly in all situations without considering the possibility of hardware malfunctions or operator errors. As a result, the software did not include sufficient safety checks and interlocks to prevent the machine from delivering excessive doses of radiation.

This disaster highlights the importance of considering context in control systems engineering, especially in safety-critical applications like medical devices. Engineers must consider all possible scenarios and design the system robust and resilient to failures, errors, and unexpected events.

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A controls engineer can ensure that they consider context in work situations by thoroughly analyzing the system and its application. This analysis should include a review of the system's goals, inputs, outputs, and constraints and assessing any relevant safety or environmental regulations. Additionally, the engineer should consider the broader context in which the system will be used, including factors such as user requirements and expectations, industry standards, and economic considerations. By taking all of these factors into account, the engineer can design a control system tailored to the application's specific needs, taking into account the unique context in which it will operate.

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Marc LeVine is a Syracuse (NY) University graduate with a degree in Industrial Psychology; Marc is currently a Talent Acquisitions Manager at Thermo Systems. He received the Excellence in Talent Acquisitions Award from HR Awards in 2021.

Marc's prior employment includes senior Human Resources and Staffing Industry management roles with Edgewood Properties in Piscataway, NJ; Brickforce Staffing in Edison, NJ; InfoPro Inc. in Woodbridge, NJ and Plainsboro, NJ; and Harvard Industries in Farmingdale, NJ; a former Fortune 500 company. He also served as Director of Human Resources for New Jersey Press, the parent company of the Asbury Park Press, Home News and Tribune, and WKXW-NJ101.5. Earlier in his career, Marc served as Director of Career Services and Placement at Union Technical Institute in Eatontown and Neptune, NJ. In addition, Marc owned and operated Integrity Consulting Associates, a New Jersey-based Human Resources and Social Media Marketing firm, for 11 years. Marc also served as Council President in his Freehold Borough, NJ hometown.