Mental Models, Designer Models and System Images.

The Process Of Perception.

A user looks at the interface on his little 5" device, he feels like he’s seen it before. Like he’s being with it all his life. He isn’t scared of things going wrong. He sure knows his way around. But one thing strikes him;

How come all apps look almost the same?

Mental Models.

Over time, users form a few heuristics of how things should be. These shortcuts give rise to their mental models.

A mental model is an explanation of how something works. The phrase “mental model” is an overarching term for any sort of concept, framework, or worldview that you carry around in your mind. Mental models help you understand life.

Designer models.

Designers know about the mental models, so they do their possible best to express their idea (designer models) in ways the user’s mental models support. They do this with a lot of knowledge of major models their users have been accustomed to.

They do this with Signifiers; hints that tell what an interface or an object affords. (The curve on a door handle signifies the affordance of turning).

In the larger picture, designers turn their models into System images. The system image is everything that is presented to the user and is the way the designer believes is best to express his idea.

How well the users can relate the system image to their mental models determines how easily they’ll understand the designer’s model.

Thanks for your time 😄 😄 😄.