Ocean industries involve complex operations, often in safety-critical conditions. Workplaces where such operations are performed are pervaded with technology distributed in many different systems. Designing for such workplaces is a challenge for designers. At the same time, there is a growing number of designers working with projects in the ocean industries. With the OICL field study handbook, we aim at sharing processes, observation and analysis methods, to design for the users of advanced workplaces in the ocean industries.
The foundation to our approach is the use of field studies as a central part of human-centred design process. Ocean industry leaders acknowledge that designers need an onsite comprehension of complex operations and tasks that ranges across systems and varied conditions. Field studies play a critical role in acquiring contextual, systems-oriented and human-centred knowledge from demanding operations. With the OICL field study handbook, our ambition is to share our experience with planning, performing and analysing field studies.
Access the handbook here.