Automation is the key element in safety, reliability of industrial processe
s. Selecting the right type and level of automation requires careful consid
eration of how to allocate tasks between operators and automation. This is
important in order that the joint system, human and machine as seen togethe
r, perform in the intended manner. The Halden Reactor Project is currently
engaged in a project to study this topic, with an emphasis on maximizing th
e operator's ability to maintain control and handle unexpected events. Func
tional models can be used to study this in a process control environment, b
ecause they explicitly describe the functions that must be provided by the
process or the operator. This paper describes how functional modelling of t
he joint system can be used to provide a basis for how functions should be
allocated. (C) 2000 Academic Press.