Annex - Guidelines for the Standardization of User Interface Design for Navigation Equipment
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Annex - Guidelines for the Standardization of User Interface Design for Navigation Equipment

Introduction

1 These Guidelines apply to Integrated Navigation Systems (INS), Electronic Chart Display and Information Systems (ECDIS) and radar equipment. They may also be applied to other electronic navigation equipment, and navigation sensors, where applicable, to improve standardization and usability. The aim of the Guidelines is to promote standardization of user interfaces to help meet user needs. The Guidelines have been developed in close collaboration with an international association of equipment manufacturers to ensure its efficient implementation. The Guidelines also aim to leave room for future innovation and development while still addressing the primary user need for standardization and usability.

2 Improved standardization of the user interface and information used by seafarers to monitor, manage and perform navigational tasks will enhance situation awareness and safe and effective navigation.

Scope

3 These Guidelines stem from a compelling user need for greater standardization to enhance usability across navigation equipment and systems. Significant variation between systems and equipment produced by different manufacturers has led to inconsistency in the way essential information is presented, understood and used to perform key navigation safety functions. Improved standardization of navigation systems will provide users with more timely access to essential information and functions that support safe navigation.

4 While the operation of navigation equipment requires specialist training and familiarization, variations across different manufacturers' equipment for mandatory functions should be minimal. The application of these standardization principles enables users to locate and understand important information quickly and enhance all levels of situation awareness, such as perception, comprehension and projection of situation that will assist in the seafarer's decision-making process.

5 These Guidelines have been informed by research into human factors, cognitive science and human-centred design (HCD) as the findings stemming from this research have been seen to be advantageous and should be considered as part of system design (background information can be found in appendix 1). This is largely due to HCD affording users quicker and more efficient understanding and familiarization of new technology. Well conducted HCD can also result in error-tolerant systems that can reduce the complexity of tasks while increasing task support.

6 The standardization design principles for electronic navigation equipment are addressed within these Guidelines. The design principles have been applied in the development of the technical content provided in the appendices to these Guidelines. The appendices include:

  • .1 default and user settings;

  • .2 standardized terminology, abbreviations and icons for commonly-used functions (Hot Keys) and groups of functions (Shortcuts);

  • .3 logical grouping of related information; and

  • .4 access requirements for essential information and functions.

7 There are a number of IMO instruments and other international standards that deal with system design and information portrayal. These Guidelines build on such standards. A list of relevant references used and/or consulted during the drafting of these Guidelines is provided in paragraph 21.

Definitions

8 This section provides definitions relevant to these Guidelines.

  • .1 Standardization design principles: a set of general rules that encapsulate human abilities, characteristics and limitations to the design of a ship navigational user interface.

  • .2 Standardization: in the context of these Guidelines, means the achievement of the optimum degree of order in the user interfaces provided by different equipment manufacturers for essential navigation functions and information. The optimum degree of order is that required for safe and efficient navigation, and to minimize the variation and complexity of navigation equipment for the user.

  • .3 User interface: all components of an interactive system (software and hardware) that provide information and controls for the user to accomplish specific tasks using the interactive system.

  • .4 Testing: testing to be carried out by system designers and/or manufacturers to ensure compliance with these Guidelines.

User needs

9 These Guidelines have been developed for the equipment manufacturer but are driven by the needs of seafarers. They are focused on standardization of user interfaces provided for INS, ECDIS, radar and other relevant equipment where applicable, whether the equipment is stand alone or part of a mixed/integrated solution.

10 Large variations in the user interfaces of electronic equipment can significantly inhibit an operator's effectiveness in performing navigational tasks. Where there is significant variation in buttons, icons, actions, workflows, processes, units of measure or location of information, there is a commensurate increase in the time required for equipment familiarization and the risk of operational error, particularly in challenging navigational situations. Users need to be better able to accumulate knowledge, skills and experience of using essential functions, which can be transferred between the systems and equipment of different manufacturers. To achieve this, essential functions and information needs to be located in consistent locations, be of a similar size, recognizable by location, colour and shape. Units of measurement should also be consistent.

11 Feedback from users and research indicates that users benefit from standardization, which provides for effectiveness, efficiency and satisfaction for the user, and supports overall system safety. This provides the navigation equipment user with an opportunity to transfer skills gained through experience between systems and equipment. Deck officers surveyed on the usefulness of standardization stated that they believed it was a necessary safety measure especially when applied to navigational equipment.

Standardization design principles

12 User feedback and testing have been used to develop a set of design principles, adapted from commonly recognized user interface design heuristics. These principles align with the navigation equipment users' need for greater standardization. They could be applied to future design processes for electronic navigation equipment and to test conformance with these Guidelines.

13 Vast amounts of information is made available to the user of electronic navigation equipment. To a large extent, the safe navigation of a ship depends on a user's ability to identify, understand and interpret essential information, in order to perform navigation functions. Good decision-making depends on the effective and efficient use of essential information from across different pieces of equipment. Different manufacturers often produce these different pieces of equipment. The use of standardization design principles across key systems and equipment will improve design consistency, reduce head down time, increase situation awareness, and provide users with more time to look out, evaluate situations and monitor a ship's safe navigation.

14 Users generally follow a common, but often undocumented, workflow for the functions associated with their role. Standardization of information and the way it is presented makes this task easier. As an example, the standardization of essential information for navigational tasks means that the user can easily comprehend information across different navigation systems and equipment. Greater usability can reduce the workload and simplify the process, which increases efficiency and effectiveness.

15 The following principles were applied when designing the appendices to these Guidelines:

  • .1 Consistency has been identified as the most significant standardization design principle. The use of consistency throughout the design process increases usability. The findings of user feedback and system testing can be used to identify areas where further consistency can enhance standardization:

    • .1 Standard vocabulary – which should be in accordance with the STCW Code, and appropriate IMO Model Courses terminology. Consistency in naming, in conjunction with (2), (3) and (4) (see below), will aid search and identification. The naming protocol should be based on the needs of seafarers. Functions related to mandatory tasks should follow a standardized naming convention whereby the function name is shared between systems (e.g. starboard and port, not right and left).

    • .2 Standard symbols and icons – Many function-related icons vary across different navigation equipment and between manufacturers. Appendix 2 provides information on icons, symbols and abbreviations that require standardization. Consistency enables recognition and detectability across the user interfaces of different navigation systems.

    • .3 Patterns, grouping – Humans react positively to patterns and logical groups of items, and use categories to search for individual bits of information. User testing can identify groupings and patterns of information that should be prioritized for consistency. Patterns incorporate the way in which someone uses information and the types of information that are grouped together.

    • .4 Standard location – The search for information when monitoring can be greatly improved through the use of consistent location, which when coupled with consistent grouping greatly speeds up searches and contributes to recognition. User testing can identify high frequency use areas that may be places and locations on a display screen requiring standardization. Colocation of related essential information is beneficial.

  • .2 Recognition – Using location and grouping for consistency provides for recognition. Human perception and search works faster with cues than complete recall, especially when aided by consistency. The user must recognize where information is or how to perform a process. In performing functions, the user should not need to recall where something is located or the process for doing something. This is the ability for the user to recognize an event, process or information flow rather than recall the detail of how to get to that point. This is integral to usability.

  • .3 Frequency of use – Sorting, grouping and locating of information according to frequency of use increases efficiency. This principle requires that the user can access those tasks that they frequently use. It includes the application of "hot keys", and single operator actions.

  • .4 Visibility of system status – The integration of humans and technology to support the ability to work as a team relies on their being able to identify system status. System status provides confidence in the validity of information, and the performance of navigation equipment and sensors. Knowing the system status includes visibility of "processing" information and the correct functioning of system sensors to illustrate degraded information.

  • .5 Projection to the real world – There are two elements to projecting to the real world.

    • .1 Whenever possible use images or wording that is contextually related to the task. This is applicable to the interaction with the user interface, for example when increasing a number, twist a dial and show increase as "up".

    • .2 Geolocation of information to provide a linkage, or correlation, between the user, electronic equipment and the real world relative to the ship promotes correlation of information. When combined with recognition, the user intuitively links displayed information with physical reality. In other words, what appears on the visual displays in terms of location and information is in accord with the seafarer's understanding of where they are.

  • .6 Prevent errors, emergency exit – Continuous testing during development will identify possible error paths that can be removed. Users should be aware of how to navigate back to the start of a process and also be aware of where they are in that process. The user should always be able to see navigation critical information even if layers of information are interlaid with the ENC/radar.

  • .7 Help functions – Design help functions embedded within systems to be logical, task focused, user friendly, easily accessed and understandable. For example, where a user puts the cursor or marker on a specific icon, the meaning of the icon may be automatically displayed to help the user. To assist and help the user, technologies such as interactive learning of a task and use of videos could be implemented into the system.

User interface design standardization for navigation equipment maintenance

16 Equipment standards inevitably evolve to give improved functionality and safety, led by a mixture of regulatory, commercial and user requirements. Fundamental changes to requirements can be prompted by new developments in affordable technology. Ever-evolving practices to achieve better human cognition should play a major part in equipment changes. All are assisted by the continuing rise in affordable computing power and sophisticated software development. This evolution is a primary reason behind differences in the user interfaces of equipment fitted to different ships – bridge equipment typically has a very long in-use life and so newer and older equipment can become quite different to use.

17 Such continuing evolution of concepts and technology makes it inevitable that the requirements of the Guidelines will also need to evolve:

  • .1 to allow users to have ready and common access to new sources and types of data and to assimilate them into the total navigational situation; and

  • .2 to incorporate improving concepts for the human assimilation and integration of all data.

18 The implication is that systems compliant with the Guidelines need to have their software readily and safely updateable, in accordance with the Procedures for updating shipborne navigation and communication equipment (MSC.1/Circ.1389).

Conformance

19 Conformance with appendices 2 to 5 of these Guidelines satisfies the requirements for meeting the standardization design principles and human-centred design. User feedback testing is recommended to confirm conformance with these Guidelines.

20 Conformance with appendices 2 to 5 of these Guidelines is demonstrated by meeting the applicable requirements of the Performance standard for the presentation of navigation-related information on shipborne navigational displays (resolution MSC.191(79)) and IEC 62288.

Relevant references

21 References used or consulted in the drafting of these Guidelines are as follows:

  • IMO references:

    • .1 Resolution MSC.191(79), as amended – Performance standards for the presentation of navigation-related information on shipborne navigational displays

    • .2 Resolution MSC.192(79) – Adoption of the revised performance standards for radar equipment

    • .3 Resolution MSC.232(82) – Adoption of the revised performance standards for Electronic Chart Display and Information Systems (ECDIS)

    • .4 Resolution MSC.252(83) – Adoption of the revised performance standards for Integrated Navigation Systems (INS)

    • .5 Resolution MSC.302(87) – Adoption of performance standards for bridge alert management

    • .6 MSC/Circ.982 – Guidelines on ergonomic criteria for bridge equipment and layout

    • .7 MSC.1/Circ.1389 – Procedures for updating shipborne navigation and communication equipment

    • .8 MSC.1/Circ.1512 – Guideline on Software Quality Assurance and Human-Centred Design for e-navigation

    • .9 MSC.1/Circ.1575 – Guidelines for Shipborne Position, Navigation and Timing (PNT) data processing

    • .10 MSC.1/Circ.1593 – Interim guidelines for the harmonized display of navigation information received via communication equipment

    • .11 SN.1/Circ.243/Rev.2 – Guidelines for the presentation of navigational-related symbols, terms and abbreviations

    • .12 SN.1/Circ.265 – Guidelines on the application of SOLAS regulation V/15 to INS, IBS and bridge design

  • ISO/IEC standards:

    • .13 ISO 9241-110:2006 Ergonomics of human-system interaction – Part 110: Dialogue principles

    • .14 ISO 8468:2007 Ships and marine technology – Ship's bridge layout and associated equipment – Requirements and guidelines

    • .15 ISO 9241-210:2010 Ergonomics of human-system interaction – Part 210: Human-centred design for interactive systems

    • .16 ISO 20282:2006 Ease of operation of everyday products – Part 1: Design requirements for context of use and user characteristics

    • .17 ISO/TS 20282-2:2013 Usability of consumer products and products for public use – Part 2: Summative test method

    • .18 IEC 61174:2015 Maritime navigation and radiocommunication equipment and systems – ECDIS

    • .19 IEC 61924-2:2012 Maritime navigation and radiocommunication equipment and systems – INS

    • .20 IEC 62388:2013 Maritime navigation and radiocommunication equipment and systems – Radar

    • .21 IEC 62288: 2014 Maritime navigation and radiocommunication equipment and systems – Presentation of navigation-related information on shipborne navigational displays

    • .22 IEC 61174:2015 Maritime navigation and radiocommunication equipment and systems – Electronic chart display and information (ECDIS)

    • .23 IEC 60945:2002 Maritime navigation and radiocommunication equipment and systems – General requirements – Methods of testing and required test results

    • .24 ISO/IEC 25010:2011 Systems and software engineering – Systems and software Quality Requirements and Evaluation (SQuaRE) – System and software quality models

    • .25 ISO/IEC 25060:2010 Systems and software engineering – Systems and software Quality Requirements and Evaluation (SQuaRE) – Common Industry Format (CIF) for Usability – General framework for usability-related information

    • .26 ISO/IEC 25062:2006 Software engineering – Systems and software Quality Requirements and Evaluation (SQuaRE) – Common Industry Format (CIF) for Usability test reports

    • .27 ISO/IEC 25063:2014 Systems and software engineering – Systems and software Quality Requirements and Evaluation (SQuaRE) – Common Industry Format (CIF) for Usability: Context of use description

    • .28 ISO/IEC 25064:2013 Systems and software engineering – Systems and software Quality Requirements and Evaluation (SQuaRE) – Common Industry Format (CIF) for Usability: User needs report

    • .29 ISO/IEC 25066:2016 Systems and software engineering – Systems and software Quality Requirements and Evaluation (SQuaRE) – Common Industry Format (CIF) for Usability – Evaluation Report

    • .30 ISO/IEC Guide 2:2004 Standardization and related activities – General vocabulary

  • IHO documents:

    • .31 IHO S-52 Edition 6.1.1, June 2015, Specification for chart content and display aspects of ECDIS

Parent topic: MSC.1/Circular.1609 - Guidelines for the Standardization of User Interface Design for Navigation Equipment – (14 June 2019)
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