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If we are to enable the marine engineer to operate effectively in the electronic age, we must first understand the factors that influence this objective. The solution obviously lies in the successful integration of people and technology, but we often think of systems (specifically automation systems) as comprising only hardware and software. Current generation control systems, including those aboard the “ Smart Ships” , place an ever-increasing amount of sensory information in front of the operator, and generally require sharply increased manning in the event of control system malfunctions. Furthermore there is a growing demand for reduction of the number of crewmembers onboard. The control system designer faces the challenge of designing a robust and increasingly autonomous automation system that is scalable and affordable. Research suggests these challenges will be met by three - tiered control architecture – a strategic layer that focuses on setting resource goals and priorities for machinery systems based on the ship’ s current mission. This will enhance the features of currently available systems by allowing direct addressing of any system component, sensor or actuator from anywhere in a vessel. This permits system self-reconfiguration on failure or in the event of damage to segments of the system.