Trans RINA, Vol 156, Part C1, Intl J Marine Design, Jan - Dec 2014 AN INDUSTRIAL DESIGN APPROACH IN THE DEVELOPMENT OF A HARBOUR TUG
B D Smit and M M de Monchy, Damen Shipyards B.V., The Netherlands (DOI No: 10.3940/rina.ijmd.2014.c1.26) SUMMARY
This paper describes the Industrial Design approach in the case of a harbour tug console. This console is suitable for different types and sizes of Damen tugs to enhance a comfortable and safe working environment for its users. Prior observational studies identified the design opportunity for new harbour tug consoles. By means of various qualitative research methodologies the desires, needs, wishes and demands of the stakeholders were collected. An ideation phase led to multiple ideas which were tested and validated according to pre-set criteria. This resulted in the tug bridge design concept. This concept was visualised by means of 3D visualisation, rapid prototyping and full scale mock- ups to be tested with project stakeholders to optimise the design in a continuous iterative process. Finally the product was built and installed on a Damen tug to be used permanently. Within this design a strong focus was kept towards Human Factors in ship design in order to improve working procedures and safety on board the vessel.
1. INTRODUCTION
Damen Shipyards is a multinational shipbuilding company, famous for building standardised vessels on stock. It is therefore of great interest to develop a standard harbour tug console, influenced by Human Factors in Ship Design, suitable for various types of Damen tugs in different operational environments.
In addition, the Damen harbour tugs can differentiate themselves from competition by providing a ship not only capable of fulfilling its tasks as a tool, but being comfortable and pleasant to work with at the same time.
Traditionally tug consoles and operating spaces were designed by engineers, often based on personal insight and user supposition. Designs were made in a 2D setting, merely by composing the selected equipment into a dashboard as a technical, functional solution. However, Human Factors are now becoming an increasingly important factor. Due to the expanded power of tugs and the reduction of crew on board, the responsibilities of individual captains have intensified significantly [1]. This requires a renewed approach to the design harbour tug
of consoles, led by Industrial 2. DESIGN PROCESS 2.1 DESIGN FOR HUMAN FACTORS
The concept of design for Human Factors is not a new perspective. It merely asks for adoption in different fields of ship design. For example in the automotive sector, it is more common to design the product entirely around the user. This results in the incorporation of not only the user’s physical limitations, needs and wishes, but his emotions and product experiences as well [2].
In product design towards user interaction, the user is often treated as the expert. After all, the user has
Design
methodologies focussed towards the human factors in ship design.
experience in the field and will be the consumer after a product design has been established. Involving the user to retrieve information as design input is therefore a wise and obvious step to take. User involvement can be taken a step further by introducing the user as participant in the design process. This way, the incorporation of experience and feedback takes place within in a short connection. This participatory design process requires the designer to fulfil a double task. The designer becomes a system integrator of both acquiring the input translating this into products [3].
from users and Specification of the
user is a crucial starting point when designing for Human Factors. In product design, the user and client are often the same person. For example: in the design of a personal music player. The person who buys the product (client) is often the one who will use and experience it (user). In the design of large commercial vessels, the client and user are often different persons; different persons with different needs, wishes and expectations of the product. The user does not even have to be a single person. It can be a group of users each interacting in a different way with the product in a different stage of the lifecycle.
This group of users, called stakeholders, needs to be enabled to provide the designer with the right input. Qualitative research methods are used to question them about their specific needs and wishes for the product. The needs and wishes of stakeholders are often tacit, or even latent. They are limited by the stakeholders’ own previous experiences [4], which in turn can be culture driven as well. Tacit wishes and demands are difficult to transfer to another person by means of writing them down or verbalisation. Latent wishes and demands are requirements that are not directly observed or recognised by users, but emerge from other previously remarked requirements. They are as such only recognisable by the designer. This can be illustrated by a quote from Henry Ford in the early 1930’s:
“If I had asked my customers what they wanted, they would have said a faster horse”.
©2014: The Royal Institution of Naval Architects
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