Developing human factors design guidelines for marine electronics — the case of S-mode

Abstract

Human factors issues with navigation equipment have been identified as a challenge to safe and efficient maritime operations. A reason behind the issues is the lack of guidance from regulatory agencies, particularly regarding interface design. The International Maritime Organisation () has taken measures to address the situation, an example of which is the development of Circular MSC.1/Circ.1609 Guidelines for the Standardisation of User Interface Design for Navigation Equipment. This article presents a case study on the development of MSC.1/Circ.1609. An in-depth analysis was conducted using multiple sources of data to identify influential factors behind key events and provide recommendations for similar future initiatives.