Narrative:

Shortly after taking over the radar position; I realized the abovementioned aircraft were not going to pass with enough lateral separation. I took steps to increase the lateral and vertical separation; but they were not timely enough. Possible causes; or things that may have prevented the error: 1) too much traffic was rerted into this particular sector due to outside influences. 2) a more thorough preview of the traffic may have alerted me that this aircraft had a dogleg in his route that was problematic (bos-psm-ene-ZZZ). 3) a natural review of performance routings done at the local level to eliminate doglegs like this.

Google
 

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ZBW CTLR EXPERIENCED OPERROR AT FL285 WITH TWO ACFT PASSING ONE ANOTHER SHORTLY AFTER ASSUMING THE POSITION.

Narrative: SHORTLY AFTER TAKING OVER THE RADAR POS; I REALIZED THE ABOVEMENTIONED ACFT WERE NOT GOING TO PASS WITH ENOUGH LATERAL SEPARATION. I TOOK STEPS TO INCREASE THE LATERAL AND VERT SEPARATION; BUT THEY WERE NOT TIMELY ENOUGH. POSSIBLE CAUSES; OR THINGS THAT MAY HAVE PREVENTED THE ERROR: 1) TOO MUCH TFC WAS RERTED INTO THIS PARTICULAR SECTOR DUE TO OUTSIDE INFLUENCES. 2) A MORE THOROUGH PREVIEW OF THE TFC MAY HAVE ALERTED ME THAT THIS ACFT HAD A DOGLEG IN HIS RTE THAT WAS PROBLEMATIC (BOS-PSM-ENE-ZZZ). 3) A NATURAL REVIEW OF PERFORMANCE ROUTINGS DONE AT THE LCL LEVEL TO ELIMINATE DOGLEGS LIKE THIS.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of May 2009 and automatically converted to unabbreviated mixed upper/lowercase text. This report is for informational purposes with no guarantee of accuracy. See NASA's ASRS site for official report.