Seafarers Invited to Help E-Nav Developers
The Nautical Institute and CIRM (the principal international association for marine electronics companies) has launched a joint initiative to improve the usability of navigation and communication technology on board ships.
Speaking at the International e-Navigation Underway Conference this week, David Patraiko, Director of Projects for The Nautical Institute, and Richard Doherty, Chief Technical Officer for CIRM, announced the development of the CIRM User Feedback Forum.
E-navigation is defined as “the harmonized collection, integration, exchange, presentation and analysis of marine information on board and ashore by electronic means to enhance berth to berth navigation and related services for safety and security at sea and protection of the marine environment.”
The best way to achieve usability in a system, product or service is to ask users what they think at each stage of the design, says the Nautical Institute. This is the principle that underlies the concept of human-centered design, and applying it is a key goal of the IMO’s E-Navigation strategy.
“As a design concept goes, this all makes perfect sense,” said Patraiko. “Many mariners are keen to offer feedback into the design process but struggle to identify how to.”
The Nautical Institute will encourage mariners from around the world to register as potential beta testers for CIRM members’ research and development projects. The process is absolutely free for seafarers and confidential for the manufacturers. Training centers are also invited to become involved and to form relationships with manufacturers that may be interested in running trials.
Mariners gain by being able to preview, understand and influence new designs. Patraiko said that mariners often challenge why, or even how, certain design features have been developed. The Forum provides an opportunity for them to get involved with the design before it ends up on their ships.
Cost considerations often make it hard for training centers to expose students and instructors to the latest technology. Now maritime colleges will not only be able to see the latest designs, but will also be able to use their training experience to assist in the development of new equipment and systems.
“This is a golden opportunity for all mariners and trainers to improve the design of systems they may have to use in the future, while enjoying the process of working with the design teams,” said Patraiko. The Nautical Institute also plans to publish case studies from these trials, which will spread the benefits to the whole industry.
Doherty describes the Forum as a practical approach and a win-win solution, bringing manufacturers and users together. Doherty confirmed that CIRM members are willing to listen and of course will need to demonstrate this as outlined in the IMO e-Navigation human-centered design guidelines. These issues were also confirmed during a recent E.U. funded Human Factors project CyClaDes.
The Forum can be accessed here.
IMO’s E-Navigation initiatives are described here and here.