ECDIS Killed the RADAR Star

I have been busy curating playlist of my old favourite songs when I came across my “ Video Killed the Radio Star”?- By the Buggles and immediately by mind went to a completely unrelated topic which we have been debating since some time. Why is the new generation of seafarers more attracted to the ECDIS rather than the RADAR.

This song answers a lot of that. While growing up Radio was a hot property and we used to be proud owners, but as soon a the TV reached our home, slowly and steadily the use of radio went down. Now the purists will say, this is not a comparison between APPLES as RADIO vs VIDEO is not same as ECDIS vs RADAR and technically I would agree. However, look at it from the youngster’s eyes, you might see the similarities.

This has been a common observation by auditors, master etc that the OOW is fixated on the ECDIS. Have we tried to learn why? Is the ECDIS so good looking that RADAR fails in comparison or does it appeals to a younger and more computer savvy generation than the simple mostly monochromed RADAR.

For my old brain, which was been through phases like:

1-?????Master telling not to use RADAR without his express permission to,

2-?????Master allowing use of RADAR only during night to,

3-?????Use only one RADAR at a time to,

4-?????Use RADAR all the time

Importance of RADAR is heavily imprinted, but a young officer seeing an ECDIS which can be overlayed with RADAR,ARPA and AIS, RADAR seems to be one of the auxiliary equipment to support ECDIS and not stand alone collision avoidance tool. No amount of training and briefing will embed I into the young seafarer’s brain as it is not experiential.

I seek solution for this besides training and procedures if you have any. ?Can experts in Design thinking or systemic thinking provide solution, I am all ears.?