Mental models

Mental models

1. Constant stream of information processed by the brain to form a 'mental model'.

   • Allows a person to predict the outcome when a certain event happens.

2. EXAMPLE: when a person is riding a bike and they swerve to the left, they know that they are turning left however if they want to stop then they must put the brakes on and this will slow down the bike and they know this due to their mental model of the bike.

3. Your mental model of the world is no complete as you have not experienced every aspect of living.

4. In a HCI design, make the interface as predictable as possible so that a user can use their mental model. When it is predictable, then it is easy to use.

5. Most users have a predictable mental model for certain applications such as Microsoft Word.

6. Benefits: makes the interface predictable, it is easy to learn and use, simple to guess where the controls are and it also allows transferable skills (e.g. understanding the layout of other applications-excel)

7. Problems of not having a mental model: it is difficult to learn quickly, harder for the user ot ugess where things are and mitakes are more likely.