This paper presents a solution for visualizing the common operating picture (COP) of the critical infrastructure (CI). The
purpose is to improve the situational awareness (SA) of the strategic-level actor and the source system operator in order
to support decision making. The information is obtained through the Situational Awareness of Critical Infrastructure and
Networks (SACIN) framework. The system consists of an agent-based solution for gathering, storing, and analyzing the
information, and a user interface (UI) is presented in this paper.
The UI consists of multiple views visualizing information from the CI in different ways. Different CI actors are
categorized in 11 separate sectors, and events are used to present meaningful incidents. Past and current states, together
with geographical distribution and logical dependencies, are presented to the user. The current states are visualized as
segmented circles to represent event categories. Geographical distribution of assets is displayed with a well-known map
tool. Logical dependencies are presented in a simple directed graph, and users also have a timeline to review past events.
The objective of the UI is to provide an easily understandable overview of the CI status. Therefore, testing methods, such
as a walkthrough, an informal walkthrough, and the Situation Awareness Global Assessment Technique (SAGAT), were
used in the evaluation of the UI. Results showed that users were able to obtain an understanding of the current state of
CI, and the usability of the UI was rated as good. In particular, the designated display for the CI overview and the
timeline were found to be efficient.
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