160
Sensemaking in Safety Critical and Complex Situations
personnel. Ship operations are increasingly automated and centralized, requiring less
direct implementation of tasks but increased monitoring and troubleshooting of automated processes. As the proliferation of digitalization of f ront–end interaction and
display devices increases, the maritime domain finds itself at crossroads for future
operational systems. Current design guidelines fail to adequately address detailed
design aspects of digitized systems and GUI for maritime systems, while the most
robust, well-established design guidance focuses on the physical aspects of bridge
work environments, console construction and layout ( Mallam & Nordby, 2018). This
presents a timely opportunity to develop and implement common frameworks for digital GUI systems that are currently lacking within the maritime domain.
There are additional spin-off benefits for consistency of control stations ( i.e. the
bridge, engine control room, shore-side control centre) for the maritime domain as a
whole, including shipping companies, equipment manufacturers, policymakers, seafarers and other relevant stakeholders. For example, classification bodies and regulatory
authorities can establish consistency in bridge systems across fleets or industry sectors, creating more streamlined inspection and approval processes. Increased consistency would also allow seafarers to switch between ships while maintaining mastery
between interfaces, workstations and work environments. This would have additional
benefit of reducing training and familiarization periods between seafarers and equipment. As ships are large monetary investments and have operational lifecycles at sea
spanning several decades, retrofitting of a ship structure and its systems are required
periodically. Digital systems and GUI are more flexible to develop, cheaper and faster
to upgrade, alter and improve in comparison to hardwired and analogue systems ( e.g.
analogue control console vs. software and screens). Digital systems have a lower
threshold for both development and implementation, making updates potentially more
economically favourable, as well as more effective in creating better design solutions,
not only at the new-build stage but also for retrofitting across a ship’s lifecycle.
Furthermore, interest is increasing in unmanned and autonomous vessels that are
remotely controlled and monitored. Although still in relatively early phases, MASS
( Maritime Autonomous Surface Ships) are developing rapidly in research and development
phases throughout the world ( International Maritime Organization, 2018; Pribyl & Weigel,
2018; World Maritime University, 2019). Remote control and/ or monitoring of unmanned
ships at sea are currently being developed through differing shore-side control centre concepts. However, both “ traditional” operations of contemporary navigational tasks at sea and
future configurations of shore-side control and monitoring will continue to require interactions between people and technology through GUI in some capacity (Kim & Mallam,
2020). The design of equipment and interactions between technology and people must support sensemaking and is perhaps even more critical in the age of distributed command and
control of ships at sea where operators and monitors of remote structures will need to have
all relevant information to enable optimal sensemaking throughout operations.
TOWARDS IMPROVING DESIGN CONSISTENCY
Consistent design refers to a common set of design principles that are shared by
different systems ( Nielsen, 2002). Typical examples of such principles are palette
definitions or user interface components, such as buttons. Design consistency leads
Sensemaking in Safety Critical and Complex Situations
personnel. Ship operations are increasingly automated and centralized, requiring less
direct implementation of tasks but increased monitoring and troubleshooting of automated processes. As the proliferation of digitalization of f ront–end interaction and
display devices increases, the maritime domain finds itself at crossroads for future
operational systems. Current design guidelines fail to adequately address detailed
design aspects of digitized systems and GUI for maritime systems, while the most
robust, well-established design guidance focuses on the physical aspects of bridge
work environments, console construction and layout ( Mallam & Nordby, 2018). This
presents a timely opportunity to develop and implement common frameworks for digital GUI systems that are currently lacking within the maritime domain.
There are additional spin-off benefits for consistency of control stations ( i.e. the
bridge, engine control room, shore-side control centre) for the maritime domain as a
whole, including shipping companies, equipment manufacturers, policymakers, seafarers and other relevant stakeholders. For example, classification bodies and regulatory
authorities can establish consistency in bridge systems across fleets or industry sectors, creating more streamlined inspection and approval processes. Increased consistency would also allow seafarers to switch between ships while maintaining mastery
between interfaces, workstations and work environments. This would have additional
benefit of reducing training and familiarization periods between seafarers and equipment. As ships are large monetary investments and have operational lifecycles at sea
spanning several decades, retrofitting of a ship structure and its systems are required
periodically. Digital systems and GUI are more flexible to develop, cheaper and faster
to upgrade, alter and improve in comparison to hardwired and analogue systems ( e.g.
analogue control console vs. software and screens). Digital systems have a lower
threshold for both development and implementation, making updates potentially more
economically favourable, as well as more effective in creating better design solutions,
not only at the new-build stage but also for retrofitting across a ship’s lifecycle.
Furthermore, interest is increasing in unmanned and autonomous vessels that are
remotely controlled and monitored. Although still in relatively early phases, MASS
( Maritime Autonomous Surface Ships) are developing rapidly in research and development
phases throughout the world ( International Maritime Organization, 2018; Pribyl & Weigel,
2018; World Maritime University, 2019). Remote control and/ or monitoring of unmanned
ships at sea are currently being developed through differing shore-side control centre concepts. However, both “ traditional” operations of contemporary navigational tasks at sea and
future configurations of shore-side control and monitoring will continue to require interactions between people and technology through GUI in some capacity (Kim & Mallam,
2020). The design of equipment and interactions between technology and people must support sensemaking and is perhaps even more critical in the age of distributed command and
control of ships at sea where operators and monitors of remote structures will need to have
all relevant information to enable optimal sensemaking throughout operations.
TOWARDS IMPROVING DESIGN CONSISTENCY
Consistent design refers to a common set of design principles that are shared by
different systems ( Nielsen, 2002). Typical examples of such principles are palette
definitions or user interface components, such as buttons. Design consistency leads