HMI
HMI, which stands for Human Machine Interface, is like a control panel or screen that lets people interact with machines and industrial equipment. Think of it as the dashboard in your car, but for industrial machines. These interfaces help operators monitor and control complex equipment in factories, power plants, and other industrial settings. They usually include touch screens, buttons, or displays that show important information about how the machine is running. Companies use HMIs to make it easier and safer for workers to operate complicated machinery without needing to understand all the technical details happening behind the scenes.
Examples in Resumes
Designed and implemented HMI screens for manufacturing line control system
Upgraded existing Human Machine Interface displays to improve operator efficiency
Programmed HMI solutions using Wonderware for chemical plant operations
Typical job title: "HMI Developers"
Also try searching for:
Where to Find HMI Developers
Online Communities
Professional Networks
Events & Conferences
Example Interview Questions
Senior Level Questions
Q: How would you approach designing an HMI system for a complex manufacturing process?
Expected Answer: A senior candidate should discuss user-centered design principles, mention safety considerations, talk about consulting with operators for feedback, and explain how they would organize information to prevent operator overwhelm.
Q: How do you ensure HMI reliability in a 24/7 operation environment?
Expected Answer: They should discuss backup systems, redundancy planning, fault tolerance, and preventive maintenance schedules. They should also mention operator training and documentation.
Mid Level Questions
Q: What factors do you consider when choosing colors and layouts for HMI screens?
Expected Answer: Should discuss readability, color-blind considerations, emergency situation visibility, consistency across screens, and industry standard color meanings (red for danger, etc.).
Q: How do you handle alarms and warnings in an HMI system?
Expected Answer: Should explain prioritization of alarms, avoiding alarm fatigue, clear visual and audio cues, and proper documentation of alarm responses.
Junior Level Questions
Q: What are the basic components of an HMI screen?
Expected Answer: Should be able to identify basic elements like status displays, buttons, numerical indicators, trend graphs, and navigation menus.
Q: What safety considerations are important when designing HMI screens?
Expected Answer: Should mention emergency stop buttons, clear warning messages, confirmation dialogues for critical actions, and proper color coding for safety-related functions.
Experience Level Indicators
Junior (0-2 years)
- Basic HMI screen design
- Simple control panel layouts
- Understanding of safety protocols
- Basic troubleshooting
Mid (2-5 years)
- Complex screen design
- Integration with control systems
- Alarm management
- User training development
Senior (5+ years)
- Advanced system architecture
- Safety system implementation
- Project management
- Team leadership
Red Flags to Watch For
- No knowledge of industrial safety standards
- Lack of experience with any major HMI software platforms
- No understanding of real-time operations
- Poor grasp of operator usability needs
