What makes a good AHS Controller?
A few weeks ago, I wrote a short article about what makes a good AHS operator, and now I want to expand into the more specific area of an autonomous fleet controller.
If you ask any controller what their role in an autonomous mining operation is, they will most certainly tell you they are the brains of the operation. WELL! At least that's what I'd hope they say!
Here we have the first valuable trait for a high-performing AH Controller:
Self-Confidence – A good controller will always tell you how good they are, and an experienced, self-confident controller doesn't procrastinate. They back their knowledge, skills, and training to make the best decisions with the limited information they often have in front of them. It is a very high-pressure role with multiple things happening at once for an extended period of time—procrastination has no place in the day of an autonomous controller.
You would think that a self-confident controller would have trouble overcoming poor decisions or be unwilling to make compromises, but that’s where the next highly beneficial trait comes into play.
Humility – Being able to accept that you will, from time to time, make incorrect decisions or there will be gaps in your knowledge is a very advantageous trait to have when controlling an autonomous fleet. The ability for a controller to quickly learn and move on without looking for immediate answers allows them to focus on the safety and productivity of the fleet without being distracted by their own self-assurance. A few choice words under the breath or a good stress ball on the desk can help a lot when these situations occur.
Passion – A high-performing controller should be passionate about what they do and take immense pride in their work. They should enter a shift with the goal of achieving more than the previous shift. A good first three hours of a shift will set up the fleet for a successful day. Having a passion for your work, a good relationship with your team, and producing results at the end of the day will go a long way to becoming a valuable controller.
Optimism – An optimistic controller will always recover quickly from events that are a distraction or hindrance to their daily plan. They will be able to remain upbeat and focused on the multiple events that happen during a regular shift that seemingly try to derail the plan for the day.
Adaptability – One of the most important of all these positive traits is being very adaptable. When controlling a large autonomous fleet, there seems to be an endless barrage of changes and adjustments that need to be quickly analysed and rectified to keep the ship on course and upright. Having a solid daily mine plan with multiple options and alternatives understood throughout the chain of command will make things much smoother and more successful. However, there will be multiple times during a shift when events present themselves, and the ability to adapt quickly to unplanned changes or events will reduce or negate the hugely unproductive impacts some events can have on a shift’s TMM outcome.
These are a few traits or skills that we know help build resilient, high-achieving controller teams. At Absolute Autonomous, we have decades of experience coaching autonomous controllers to take their careers to the next level. Not only do we use new methodologies and approaches to extract improvements from controlling teams, but we also educate and reinforce the fundamental skill set required to become a successful autonomous controller.
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