Method for Designing Operational Management Concepts for Low-Crewed Surface Vessels

In this work, we outline and appraise a method for creating and evaluating an Operational Management Concept (OMC) for Low- Crewed Surface Vessels (LSVs) in the Royal Netherlands Navy (RNLN). Utilizing Cognitive Work Analysis (CWA) and Design Thinking tools, three workshops were carried out with seven Subject Matter Experts (SMEs) focused on task allocation and the feasibility of minimal crewing. The first two workshops developed a task allocation concept, considering human responsibility, automation, and shore support. The third workshop utilized a tabletop game to evaluate the OMC’s feasibility and to enrich the OMC with more detail. The workshops led to an innovative OMC with roughly a dozen crew members, heavily dependent on automation, redundant systems, and shore support. The workshops allowed SMEs to expand their current experiences and encouraged discussions on human responsibility, collaboration, and technological support. The workshops underscored the need for deeper immersion (e.g., by using Virtual Reality) to effectively assess advanced automated systems.