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Sensemaking in Safety Critical and Complex Situations
The different cultures need to collaborate towards a common goal, which
can be challenging when they interpret their environments differently.
4. Required Knowledge. What do the operators need to know in order to
complete the task? The operators need to know about the command transfer
procedures, make sure it is according to the checklist, press the command
transfer button at the workstation and acknowledge the transfer at the other
workstation. This includes few and simple steps, however with great responsibility and demanding decision making for it to be a safe decision.
5. Artefacts. The tools and information the operators utilize during the task
is the physical buttons and levers placed in the vessel’s workstations, the
communication equipment for communication with the oilrig and the DP
checklist procedures. The communication with the oilrig and the equipment
utilized to carry out this task can also be looked at as a separate operation
that can be broken down into lower level tasks. To dive into that level of
detail was, however, not important for this research project.
Investigating the different functions of each safety-critical piece of equipment was
also included in the analysis. The example above described a command transfer utilizing the command transfer button and belonging software. To map the frequency of
use of the particular function is also of interest. Three questions were asked:
1. How often do they use this function? Continue using the command transfer example, meaning how often do they transfer command from one ship
bridge workstation to another?
2. Where is the equipment placed?
3. Is the placement sensible and clear to the operator in context of the above
questions?
By looking at the interaction patterns, frequency of use and functional importance, it
was possible to form an opinion on where the equipment should be placed according
to the observations ( Bjørneseth et al., 2012) and measurements done in the simulated
study ( Bjørneseth et al., 2014).
THE LUXURY PROBLEMS AND THE COGNITIVE LOAD
During the interviews and observations, none of the operators complained even
though it was clear to the observers that workarounds and personal adaptations were
common in the ship bridge workstations. Some examples were the use of blue magnets
( from the white board), Figure 9.1, to mark the active pump in the emergency stop
button panel. In addition, post-its and small tablecloths covered displays and monitors
that were too bright during night sailing and also, ergonomic issues having to turn
their bodies into unnatural positions to reach the internal telephone from the workstation chair. This was resolved in the finished concept, by providing the operator with a
tidier console, where the internal telephone could be moved to an appropriate position
within arm’s reach. Before cleaning up the clutter, there was no space for the internal
telephone, and it was placed at the far end of the console behind the operator.
Sensemaking in Safety Critical and Complex Situations
The different cultures need to collaborate towards a common goal, which
can be challenging when they interpret their environments differently.
4. Required Knowledge. What do the operators need to know in order to
complete the task? The operators need to know about the command transfer
procedures, make sure it is according to the checklist, press the command
transfer button at the workstation and acknowledge the transfer at the other
workstation. This includes few and simple steps, however with great responsibility and demanding decision making for it to be a safe decision.
5. Artefacts. The tools and information the operators utilize during the task
is the physical buttons and levers placed in the vessel’s workstations, the
communication equipment for communication with the oilrig and the DP
checklist procedures. The communication with the oilrig and the equipment
utilized to carry out this task can also be looked at as a separate operation
that can be broken down into lower level tasks. To dive into that level of
detail was, however, not important for this research project.
Investigating the different functions of each safety-critical piece of equipment was
also included in the analysis. The example above described a command transfer utilizing the command transfer button and belonging software. To map the frequency of
use of the particular function is also of interest. Three questions were asked:
1. How often do they use this function? Continue using the command transfer example, meaning how often do they transfer command from one ship
bridge workstation to another?
2. Where is the equipment placed?
3. Is the placement sensible and clear to the operator in context of the above
questions?
By looking at the interaction patterns, frequency of use and functional importance, it
was possible to form an opinion on where the equipment should be placed according
to the observations ( Bjørneseth et al., 2012) and measurements done in the simulated
study ( Bjørneseth et al., 2014).
THE LUXURY PROBLEMS AND THE COGNITIVE LOAD
During the interviews and observations, none of the operators complained even
though it was clear to the observers that workarounds and personal adaptations were
common in the ship bridge workstations. Some examples were the use of blue magnets
( from the white board), Figure 9.1, to mark the active pump in the emergency stop
button panel. In addition, post-its and small tablecloths covered displays and monitors
that were too bright during night sailing and also, ergonomic issues having to turn
their bodies into unnatural positions to reach the internal telephone from the workstation chair. This was resolved in the finished concept, by providing the operator with a
tidier console, where the internal telephone could be moved to an appropriate position
within arm’s reach. Before cleaning up the clutter, there was no space for the internal
telephone, and it was placed at the far end of the console behind the operator.