Unified Bridge - Design Concepts and Results

This chapter examines the effect of a how a user-centred design process together with design thinking was a differentiator when designing a new ship bridge environment. Design thinking has focus on innovation, ideation and finding user-focused solutions as a basis for building and developing products and solutions. The development of the Unified Bridge is described through the five steps of design thinking: emphasize, define, ideate, prototype, and testing. The class requirements are a guideline that leaves plenty of room for individual interpretations both from shipyard suppliers and surveyors when approving the vessel's certificates. The user-centred design process emphasizes the need for collecting requirements. The overall requirement was the project objective to develop a safer and more efficient work environment. Throughout the development of the Unified Bridge, the company had a permanent contact in classification society to make sure that the dialogue with the classification and surveyor part of classification society went smoother.