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Introduction
8 – SENSEMAKING IN PRACTICAL DESIGN: A
NAVIGATION APP FOR FAST LEISURE BOATS
Every year a number of Norwegians are killed in small boats crashing into rocks
and islands due to faulty navigation. “Human error,” like inattention and misconception, is often a triggering factor. To help the human operator to make sense of a
complex situation instruments like the sextant and the nautical chart have since long
been developed. Recently these aides have also been automated and made electronic.
However, these modern navigation tools are most often made for larger boats that can
provide shelter for the sensitive equipment and many of the accidents happen with
very fast open crafts and water scooters where the driver is unprotected and has to
use both hands to hold on and steer the boat. This chapter describes a sensemakingin-practice project, the design concept, development and test procedure of an application specially tailored for such fast, open and exposed boats. The smart phone-based
application was developed according to human-centred design (HCD) principles in
a project named SikkerKurs and a proof-of-concept was tested at sea in Norway in
2017 with good results. The user experience was the focal point for the user tests.
Local users have for some time been using the application and delivered critique and
comments. A second iteration is now being planned for the autumn 2020.
9 – UNIFIED BRIDGE – DESIGN CONCEPTS AND RESULTS
This chapter examines the effect of how a user-centred design process was a differentiator when designing a new ship bridge environment. The concept development
started by involving the user from the ideation phase and throughout the product
development process towards a finished product. The final product was released into
the market as a ship bridge environment designed with a holistic perspective including
a redesign and re-arrangement of the physical consoles, input devices and software
interfaces located in the environment to support four design criteria: safety, simplicity, performance and proximity. To fulfil the criteria, a methodological approach
including insight studies, operator interviews and eye-tracking was selected. The
continuous feedback loop from the crew onboard the vessel using the ship bridge
in daily operation was important to gain further insight and continue improving the
concept. After 5 years in the market a benchmark insight study was carried out and
the feedback from the vessel operators was undoubtedly positive, with reluctance to
return to a more conventional ship bridge environment.
10 – SUPPORTING CONSISTENT DESIGN AND
SENSEMAKING ACROSS SHIP BRIDGE EQUIPMENT
THROUGH OPEN INNOVATION
Ship bridges are complex work environments outfitted with a variety of operational
equipment typically supplied by different vendors. A lack of standardized design
elements creates a wide variety of interface design characteristics once all systems
are integrated together within a single working environment. Thus, seafarers must
Introduction
8 – SENSEMAKING IN PRACTICAL DESIGN: A
NAVIGATION APP FOR FAST LEISURE BOATS
Every year a number of Norwegians are killed in small boats crashing into rocks
and islands due to faulty navigation. “Human error,” like inattention and misconception, is often a triggering factor. To help the human operator to make sense of a
complex situation instruments like the sextant and the nautical chart have since long
been developed. Recently these aides have also been automated and made electronic.
However, these modern navigation tools are most often made for larger boats that can
provide shelter for the sensitive equipment and many of the accidents happen with
very fast open crafts and water scooters where the driver is unprotected and has to
use both hands to hold on and steer the boat. This chapter describes a sensemakingin-practice project, the design concept, development and test procedure of an application specially tailored for such fast, open and exposed boats. The smart phone-based
application was developed according to human-centred design (HCD) principles in
a project named SikkerKurs and a proof-of-concept was tested at sea in Norway in
2017 with good results. The user experience was the focal point for the user tests.
Local users have for some time been using the application and delivered critique and
comments. A second iteration is now being planned for the autumn 2020.
9 – UNIFIED BRIDGE – DESIGN CONCEPTS AND RESULTS
This chapter examines the effect of how a user-centred design process was a differentiator when designing a new ship bridge environment. The concept development
started by involving the user from the ideation phase and throughout the product
development process towards a finished product. The final product was released into
the market as a ship bridge environment designed with a holistic perspective including
a redesign and re-arrangement of the physical consoles, input devices and software
interfaces located in the environment to support four design criteria: safety, simplicity, performance and proximity. To fulfil the criteria, a methodological approach
including insight studies, operator interviews and eye-tracking was selected. The
continuous feedback loop from the crew onboard the vessel using the ship bridge
in daily operation was important to gain further insight and continue improving the
concept. After 5 years in the market a benchmark insight study was carried out and
the feedback from the vessel operators was undoubtedly positive, with reluctance to
return to a more conventional ship bridge environment.
10 – SUPPORTING CONSISTENT DESIGN AND
SENSEMAKING ACROSS SHIP BRIDGE EQUIPMENT
THROUGH OPEN INNOVATION
Ship bridges are complex work environments outfitted with a variety of operational
equipment typically supplied by different vendors. A lack of standardized design
elements creates a wide variety of interface design characteristics once all systems
are integrated together within a single working environment. Thus, seafarers must