Designing Human-Machine Interfaces for Maritime Engine Control Rooms: A User-Centered Co-Design Approach to Reduce Cognitive Load and Enhance Usability

Abstract

This thesis explores how user-centered human-machine interfaces (HMIs) can support maritime engine control room (ECR) operators in managing cognitive load and improving usability. Current ECR HMIs are often fragmented, non-standardized, and cognitively demanding, posing safety and operational risks. In collaboration with the German Aerospace Center (DLR), this project addresses the challenge of designing modular, ergonomic, and context-sensitive HMIs that reflect user needs and operational realities. The research follows a user-centered design approach and includes two main phases: expert interviews and a co-design workshop. Five maritime professionals with extensive seagoing and instructional experience were interviewed to identify usability challenges and interface needs. Their insights informed a scenario-based co-design workshop in ECR simulator with six engineering participants, who collaboratively developed interface concepts and low-fidelity prototypes for a blackout scenario. Thematic analysis of the qualitative data revealed six key themes: embodied knowledge, automation challenges, visual clarity, information overload, lack of standardization, and communication barriers in multinational teams. Based on these findings, the thesis proposes seven design principles for ECR HMIs, emphasizing multisensory awareness, visual clarity, transparent automation, operational resilience, standardization, contextual prioritization, and communication support. In addition, the study presents UI mockups and multimodal design solutions derived from the workshop and interviews. This work contributes to the limited HCI research in ECR contexts and provides practical design guidance for future maritime HMIs. It highlights the value of co-design and user-in-the-loop methods in developing safety-critical systems and underlines the need for maritime-specific interface standards to enhance operational efficiency and crew well-being.