The present study proposes a new methodological framework that allows the comprehensive integration of an output feedback controller synthesis method with a collocated actuator and sensor scheduling policy. The proposed actuator scheduling policy is algorithmically realized through a simple closed-loop performance requirement that forces the actuator to move close to a location, where the maximum deviation of the process state from the reference design steady state occurs in the presence of spatiotemporally varying disturbances. Using a collocated set of sensors and actuators, simple local output feedback controllers are designed that are capable of achieving process regulation at the design steady state conditions. Within the proposed framework, only information emanating from the sensor placed at the location where the actuator has moved to is used for control purposes and in accordance to the aforementioned scheduling policy. Consequently, in the proposed approach, the use of minimal information and computational requirements for generating the requisite local control actions is ensured, while attaining the overall process control objectives. Practical implementation aspects of the proposed method are discussed, and its performance is evaluated in an illustrative case study through simulations. (c) 2004 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.