Seafarers invited to help manufacturers improve onboard design
On 4 February the Nautical Institute and Comité International Radio-Maritime (CIRM) the principal international association for marine electronics companies) launched a joint initiative to improve the usability of navigation and communication technology in ships.
Speaking at the International e-Navigation Underway Conference in a vessel steaming Copenhagen-Oslo-Copenhagen, 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.
It was recognised that 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. This is the principle that underlies the concept of human-centred design (HCD). Applying HCD is a key goal of the International Maritime Organization’s eNavigation strategy.