Katie Aylward

WORK HISTORY

EDUCATION

SKILLS

ABOUT KATIE AYLWARD

I have just completed my Ph.D. in Maritime Human Factors at Chalmers University of Technology, in Gothenburg Sweden. My research investigated how decision support technologies will impact maritime navigation and the maritime sociotechnical system from the operator’s perspective. The results from my research show that there is a gap between the intended design and use of decision support technologies for maritime navigation. This gap exists because of the technology-first approach within the maritime industry. While decision support technologies have the potential to improve working conditions and support operators, there are equally as many potential negative outcomes including complicating the decision-making process and disrupting existing communication practices. There is a need to better understand work as it is done today, consider how technology will impact the entire maritime sociotechnical system, and develop solutions based on the user’s context. Using existing immersive technologies, we have developed a framework to approach maritime design practices from a human-centered perspective which has resulted in collaborative, iterative, flexible, and cost-effective solutions. I hold a Master of Science in Kinesiology from Memorial University of Newfoundland (MUN) which focused on the complex interaction of humans with various engineering systems, and a Bachelor of Science in Kinesiology from MUN. Prior to joining Chalmers, I worked for the National Research Council (NRC) in St. John\'s, Canada for two years, and the American Bureau of Shipping (ABS) in Houston, Texas for three years. In both roles, my work focused on improving the work environment and overall human performance during maritime operations. This work required the collaboration of specialists in many areas including; engineering, human factors, psychology, technology, and safety. Human factors research uses a systems perspective to understand and address problems in the maritime industry.