During normal plant operation, engineering staff should continuously monitor automated procedure performance — tracking response times, setpoint accuracy, and system stability. Regular assessment activities and operational audits verify that systems continue to meet their original design specifications.
Even approved, tested procedures need ongoing refinement. Improvement opportunities surface during operator training sessions and actual production runs. The control system should include an easily accessible feedback mechanism that operators can use during both training and live production.
When collecting feedback, capture: Procedure Name/Identification, Section/Step Number, Problem Description, and Proposed Solution. Common problem types include:
Operations management reviews change requests and prioritizes them. Implementation follows standard software modification protocols with strict configuration control conventions.
Monitoring reports on how well automated procedures meet performance targets for key metrics defined in the automation philosophy and Annex A. Operators must understand both what a procedure is designed to accomplish and its current execution state (running, paused, completed, or error).
A Technical Reviewer should be designated to evaluate and identify enhancements. Evaluation should focus on:
Real-time monitoring must run continuously alongside automated operations through operator dashboards or automated reporting — detecting process deviations much faster than periodic scheduled audits.
Operational audits should be conducted at regular intervals or when triggered by specific events. The audit verifies that automated control procedures are functioning as designed and identifies both gaps in implementation of the automation philosophy and opportunities to enhance the philosophy itself.
Typical audit metrics to track:
Audit findings must result in structured action plans with realistic timelines, assigned accountability, and defined review methods. Work practice documentation reviewed during audit should include: automated procedure configuration documentation, MOC documentation of modifications, performance monitoring reports, documentation of repairs, and consistency between similar units.
The procedure owner shall ensure that corrective action plans are developed for any issues, deviations, or non-conformances identified during audit processes. Action plans must include specific steps to address root causes, assigned responsibilities, and target completion dates.