Types of Mental Models
1. Conceptual Models:
These are of a higher level and an almost abstract description of the workings of a system in terms of its structure, operations, and interactivity. Conceptual models lead to user understanding of the product’s overall resiliency or interfaces used.
2. Task Models:
This approach deals with particular user tasks or workflows efficiency within the system. They specify the steps, inputs, outputs and decision points in the process of a task thereby providing the guidelines to be followed for the design of the well-crafted user interfaces that are intuitive and efficient.
3. User Models:
The designer’s views serve as the foundation for the user models, which are formulated based on their well-grounded knowledge of their target users’ attributes, tendencies, behavior patterns, and expectations. User experience designers can create the appropriate user models and customize the platform elements, namely content, navigation, and feedback in order to satisfy user requirements and expectations.
How to Use Mental Models in UX Design?
Mental models come into play while designers come up with concepts of User Interface (UI) and User Experience (UX). Mental models refer to the cognitive structures or representations that people build to make sense of the world, comprehend it, and function well within it. The mental models regarding UX design play a crucial role when designing interfaces and interactions. They are essentially the shortcut by which one will make the connections between the existing concepts and the ones that are still unknown.
Table of Content
- What are Mental Models?
- Types of Mental Models
- How to Use Mental Models in UX Design?
- Why are Mental Models Important?
- Uses of Mental Models in UX Design
- Examples of Mental Models
- Conclusion