2. Designing Intuitive Products Lessons from Mental Models

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

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

5. 6 blind men describe an elephant, each with their own interpretation (an old Indian fable)

6. How do people tend to operate thermostats?

7. Two distinct patterns of operation Accelerator Model Switch Model

8. Two distinct patterns of operation 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”

9. How do I get through these doors?

10. Anatomy of a Door Pull here Push here

13. Empirical Test Participants were instructed on how to operate an imaginary device

14. Participants were instructed on how to operate an imaginary device

15. Participants given a mental model first… train quicker

16. Participants given a mental model first… train quickeroperate quicker

17. Participants given a mental model first… train quickeroperate quickerretain more

18. Participants given a mental model first… train quickeroperate quickerretain moredevelop more short-cuts

19. So how can designers ensure users develop proper mental models?

20. 1) 2) 3) Ways of Communicating Mental Models to Users

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

22. Provide direct instructions

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

24. These elements form a visual language

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

26. Make the device usable by everyone

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

28. Works Cited Gentner, Dedre. "Psychology of mental models." International encyclopedia of the social and behavioral sciences (2002): 9683-9687. Kempton, Willett. "Two Theories of Home Heat Control." Cognitive Science10.1 (1986): 75-90. Kieras, David E., and Susan Bovair. "The Role of a Mental Model in Learning to Operate a Device." Cognitive science 8.3 (1984): 255-273. Norman, Donald A. The design of everyday things. Basic books, 2002. Peffer, Therese, et al. "How people use thermostats in homes: A review."Building and Environment 46.12 (2011): 2529-2541.