Physical workplace designs for small ferries

Every car features a standardized interface setup, typically including a steering wheel and pedals, providing a consistent user experience across different models and brands. However, the scenario is markedly different in the maritime sector, particularly for ships, where there is significant variation in workplace design.

In this project, you will work in collaboration with leading Norwegian ferry companies to establish a standardized workplace for smaller ferries. The project aims to leverage a standardized set of user interface requirements, focusing primarily on the physical design of the workplace itself. This encompasses various elements such as chairs, control levers, button systems, desks, and supports for other equipment. The overarching goal is to create a foundation for a standard ferry workplace design that is open-source and can be universally applied across different ferries. This endeavor will be supported by industrial designers at the Ocean Industries Concept Lab (OICL), relevant companies, and ship owners.

Your responsibilities in this project will include:

- Conducting comprehensive research to understand the current diversity in ferry workplace designs and identifying the key elements that can be standardized.

- Collaborating with stakeholders, including ferry operators, industrial designers, and shipowners, to gather insights and requirements for the interface.

- Developing concepts that integrate the standardized user interface requirements into the physical design of the ferry workplace, ensuring ergonomic and operational efficiency.

- Prototyping and testing the proposed designs with the involved stakeholders to refine and validate the concepts.

- Creating guidelines and documentation for the open-source standard ferry workplace design, facilitating its adoption across the industry.

This project offers a unique opportunity to bring standardization and innovation to the maritime sector, enhancing the operational efficiency and safety of ferry operations. By developing a universally applicable workplace design for smaller ferries, you will contribute to creating a more intuitive and user-friendly workplace for ferry operators.