The Design of Human Smart Ships. How design-driven approach can foster future development and innovation in the cruise sector

The radical transition from ‘fun ships’ to ‘smart ships’ is a complex phenomenon, involving technological, social and design aspects, which require systemic and complex thinking. The theoretical investigation of this research aims to fill an existing gap in design processes applied to cruise ships by providing a ‘service + spatial’ perspective in the interpretation of the smart phenomenon, integrated in a multidisciplinary approach with ICT and Social Sciences. The new concepts of customer experience, cultural diversity, immersive technologies, cyber-physical systems and environmental commitment denote a strong connection of spaces and services with users and related human factors. In this sense, design has a collaborative and human-centered approach, as it considers users’ experience and involves them as an active part of the design process. The results of this research show how a design-driven approach, rather than a technology-push or market-pull one, can drive towards radical changes in designing innovative and more sustainable ships through a better use of human capital and the multicultural richness of cruise passengers. Guidelines for design-driven research in the cruise industry can help companies move from closed and low transparent to new holistic approaches to innovation, guided by a critical attitude towards radical changes in the industry.