164
Sensemaking in Safety Critical and Complex Situations
personnel. Through this initial process we have uncovered several challenges across
different areas of the design guideline that provides feedback for further refinement and improvement for its content and application in future design processes.
It is important to note that the example presented has not been through an approval
process and must be considered as an early-phase development sketch. However, this
case study sheds light on how different levels of consistency offered by OpenBridge
are applied and how it affects users’ sensemaking at each level.
PaletteS
OpenBridge has four palette settings for maritime user interfaces: bright, day, dusk
and night ( see Figure 10.2). The user interface components in OpenBridge are built
upon these palettes, meaning that developers of maritime applications do not need
to invest resources on colour palette or colour contrast development challenges. The
palette system affects sensemaking in three ways. First, it is designed to offer optimized contrast and readability, which supports general sensemaking. For example,
the “ day” and “ bright” palettes offer Level AAA contrast relative to Web Content
Accessibility Guidelines ( WCAG). Second, the palette uses its colour scheme to create meaning. For example, fonts, numerical data and interface sections are coded
with consistent colours to improve the user’s ability to decipher the content and
meaning within the user interface. This has the potential to improve sensemaking of
a single user interface, and when applied to several interfaces, it will also contribute
to improving users’ sensemaking across interfaces. Third, in ship bridges, different palettes can create light pollution problems for users. A common palette across
systems will help reduce these inconsistencies. This has a particular advantage on
the bridge during operations in the dark, where small differences in screen light
emittance levels can impact the ocular adaption of seafarers on duty more so than in
other conditions.
TABLE 10.1
Examples of Different Types of Stakeholders That Have Different Needs in
Applying the OpenBridge Design Guideline
Stakeholder Type
OpenBridge Implementation
Independent integrator
They can pick and choose any of the compliance
elements
Independent equipment manufacturer not concerned
They can pick and choose any of the compliance
about integration
elements
Integrator that wants to integrate OpenBridge
Need to follow rules up to integration system
equipment
structure
Equipment manufacturer that wants to adapt to
Need to follow rules up to applications structure
OpenBridge integrators
Integrator that wants to maintain a non-OpenBridge
Need to follow minimal integration conventions
compliant look but integrate third party equipment
Sensemaking in Safety Critical and Complex Situations
personnel. Through this initial process we have uncovered several challenges across
different areas of the design guideline that provides feedback for further refinement and improvement for its content and application in future design processes.
It is important to note that the example presented has not been through an approval
process and must be considered as an early-phase development sketch. However, this
case study sheds light on how different levels of consistency offered by OpenBridge
are applied and how it affects users’ sensemaking at each level.
PaletteS
OpenBridge has four palette settings for maritime user interfaces: bright, day, dusk
and night ( see Figure 10.2). The user interface components in OpenBridge are built
upon these palettes, meaning that developers of maritime applications do not need
to invest resources on colour palette or colour contrast development challenges. The
palette system affects sensemaking in three ways. First, it is designed to offer optimized contrast and readability, which supports general sensemaking. For example,
the “ day” and “ bright” palettes offer Level AAA contrast relative to Web Content
Accessibility Guidelines ( WCAG). Second, the palette uses its colour scheme to create meaning. For example, fonts, numerical data and interface sections are coded
with consistent colours to improve the user’s ability to decipher the content and
meaning within the user interface. This has the potential to improve sensemaking of
a single user interface, and when applied to several interfaces, it will also contribute
to improving users’ sensemaking across interfaces. Third, in ship bridges, different palettes can create light pollution problems for users. A common palette across
systems will help reduce these inconsistencies. This has a particular advantage on
the bridge during operations in the dark, where small differences in screen light
emittance levels can impact the ocular adaption of seafarers on duty more so than in
other conditions.
TABLE 10.1
Examples of Different Types of Stakeholders That Have Different Needs in
Applying the OpenBridge Design Guideline
Stakeholder Type
OpenBridge Implementation
Independent integrator
They can pick and choose any of the compliance
elements
Independent equipment manufacturer not concerned
They can pick and choose any of the compliance
about integration
elements
Integrator that wants to integrate OpenBridge
Need to follow rules up to integration system
equipment
structure
Equipment manufacturer that wants to adapt to
Need to follow rules up to applications structure
OpenBridge integrators
Integrator that wants to maintain a non-OpenBridge
Need to follow minimal integration conventions
compliant look but integrate third party equipment