The Impact of Dashboard Redesign on the Onboard Management in Maritime Applications: An User Experience Approach

This study investigates the effects of redesigning the control dashboard of a large shipboard electrical panel, also known as the Human-Machine Interface (HMI). This panel is connected to the PMS (Power Management System), an automatic control units for managing among others generators, circuit breakers and electrical loads on board. To demonstrate the transformative potential of improved User Experience (UX) on the performance of technical operators, particularly in monitoring and checking the performance of the PMS, the three phases of user experience development (Sketch, Wireframe and Prototype) are engaged. The invaluable feedback and insights, as experienced target users, will be crucial in both evaluating the efficiency in completing four tasks and comparing the performance against HMI models already on the market. The final prototype is expected to achieve better operational efficiency, significant reductions in interaction times and human errors, with consequential savings in resources and energy.