Designing Intuitive Products Lessons from Mental Models

What are mental models? How do people use them to operate devices? How can designers communicate helpful mental models to users? Essential Questions

What are mental models? How do people use them to operate devices? How can designers communicate helpful mental models to users? Essential Questions

What are mental models? How do people use them to operate devices? How can designers communicate helpful mental models to users? Essential Questions

What are mental models? How do people use them to operate devices? How can designers communicate helpful mental models to users? Essential Questions

Mental Model An understanding of how something works in terms of its internal structure and processes

6 blind men describe an elephant, each with their own interpretation (an old Indian fable)

How do people tend to operate thermostats?

“The higher I set the temperature, the faster it will heat up” Accelerator Model

“The higher I set the temperature, the faster it will heat up” Accelerator Model

Switch Model “The heater is either running at a constant rate or not running"

“The higher I set the temperature, the faster it will heat up” Accelerator Model

How do I get through these doors? Pull here Push here

Anatomy of a Door Pull here Push here

Empirical Test How does having a mental model affect the use of device?

Participants trained to operate an imaginary device Control group Given mental model

Participants given a mental model first… develop more short-cuts train quickeroperate quickerretain better

Participants given a mental model first… develop more short-cuts train quickeroperate quickerretain better

Participants given a mental model first… train quickeroperate quicker

Participants given a mental model first… develop more short-cuts train quickeroperate quickerretain better

Participants given a mental model first… develop more short-cuts train quickeroperate quickerretain better

Participants given a mental model first… develop more short-cuts train quickeroperate quickerretain better

So how can designers ensure users develop beneficial mental models?

1) 2) 3) Ways of Communicating Mental Models to Users

1) Tell them directly 2) 3) Ways of Communicating Mental Models to Users

Provide direct instructions

1) Tell them directly 2) Communicate through design 3) Ways of Communicating Mental Models to Users

These parts form a visual language

1) Tell them directly 2) Tell them through design 3) Ensure all models work Ways of Communicating Mental Models to Users

Make the device usable by everyone

1)Tell them directly 2)Tell them through design 3)Ensure all models work

Works Cited Gentner, Dedre. "Psychology of mental models." International encyclopedia of the social and behavioral sciences (2002): Kempton, Willett. "Two Theories of Home Heat Control." Cognitive Science10.1 (1986): Kieras, David E., and Susan Bovair. "The Role of a Mental Model in Learning to Operate a Device." Cognitive science 8.3 (1984): Norman, Donald A. The design of everyday things. Basic books, Peffer, Therese, et al. "How people use thermostats in homes: A review. "Building and Environment (2011):