Case Study: Contextual Inquiry

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Centralis and Mercury Marine charted a course for next generation displays and navigation controls.


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The Challenge

Mercury Marine is the world leader in marine propulsion and technology, with offerings ranging from engines to boats, gauges, and controls for the recreational and commercial marine industry. 

To inform its next generation designs, Mercury chose Centralis to provide a 360° review of the helm user experience, assess the usability and usefulness of current tools, and understand what functionality is on boat owners’ wish lists for the future. 

 
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The Process

Centralis team members took to the sea with several leisure yacht captains and their Mercury-powered vessels.

We began each session with an in-depth interview about the captain’s boating experience, followed by an open-water tour where we incorporated usability tasks like navigating busy channels and anchoring via GPS. Finally, we wrapped up with a discussion about the captain’s key likes, dislikes, and desires for their boating experience.

 
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The Impact

Our final analysis identified key opportunities for Mercury to improve their products, including establishing UX standards for onboard digital displays and exploring features that eliminate anxiety from the boating experience.

We also developed user-centric design principles for both technically-curious and leisure-oriented captains, which Mercury used to inform their future design work.

 

Our Value

Centralis' holistic analysis provided Mercury with feedback on every level of the boating experience, from the compact user interface to the boat at large.

The UX principles we established apply to each aspect of the boating experience and will captain Mercury’s design process for years to come.


“You definitely left an impact on decision makers around here."
- Hybrid Systems Program Manager, Mercury Marine