Maritime Energy Efficiency in a Sociotechnical System: A Collaborative Learning Synergy via Mediating Technologies

Previous research in the domain of maritime energy efficiency has mainly addressed concerns regarding individual experiences and organizational barriers. Reflection on the reciprocal human-technology relationship, interaction design and its impact on the practitioners’ learning and organizational decision-making process is rather scarce. Informed by focus group interviews, this paper describes the essence of practitioners’ activities and the nature of interaction design and proposed improved design for energy efficiency monitoring systems. Findings suggest knowledge sharing for a mutual understanding onboard ships is critical to energy efficiency. Learning can go beyond the embodiment of individual cognitive change but becomes a collective and collaborative achievement mediated by technology, which informs opportunities for interaction design. The design needs to consider the context in which knowledge mobilisation occurs and facilitate collaborative learning. With more intelligent systems introduced to the shipping industry, it is important to consider the impact of mediating technologies in management practices and mediating technologies can be integrated into a broader collaborative learning paradigm emerging between the ship and shore. This study highlights those social-cultural dimensions important to establishing a common ground between practitioners, management and advanced technologies.