Planning Simulation Exercises as Learning Lab: The Case of Digital Chart Changing Maritime Navigation Activity

Abstract

The Electronic Chart Display and Information System (ECDIS) has become a key element in ship’s bridge, assisting navigators to make the right decision. Despite the technological advance, the ability to make these decisions in the right time is still the determining factor for the safety of navigation, being directly related to the interaction between human and system. The objective of this study was to identify fundamental factors to be incorporated in simulations to analyze the shared cognitive system between the operator and the ECDIS system during navigation, from the perspective of Resilience Engineering (RE). For this, the following methodological strategies were used: (a) CDM method: interviews with navigation specialists, to obtain critical situations experienced by the navigators using the system and the possible actions to be adopted to solve the problems; (b) analysis of accident reports, where inadequate ECDIS configurations were the determining factor. Thus, the research resulted in a scenario elaborated with three critical points for the simulations, which were later validated together with the experts and applied in a course for the qualification of ECDIS operators.