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Mental models and the evolution of an idea
One problem I always wrestle with when designing a new user interface is trying to balance innovation with usability.
For some projects, making the application as easy to use as possible is of the highest priority, but how could we do that?
One method is to utilise mental models when designing.
What is a mental model?
A mental model is essentially a set of expectations users have about how your product will function and behave based on their usage of other products. For example; let’s imagine we’re making a new social networking site, you’ll probably want to implement some sort of method of 'liking' a post or giving it a heart. This is because other popular social networks like Facebook and Instagram have created this sort of functionality and users now begin to expect a way to react to a post (other than commenting). We — as designers of this social network — know that our user’s mental model will likely be imprinted by their usage of other social networks, and so they will understand what liking a post does before they have even done it on this new theoretical site.
Another example of a mental model could be with Snapchat. When they first released their disappearing-image sharing app, users of it generally had a mental model built around how we share images from the viewfinder of our cameras to things like Facebook Messenger or WhatsApp.
However, Snapchat pushed the boundaries of our mental models and started making interactions like holding the shutter button to record video - rather than taking a photo - the norm. Tapping the screen now not only focuses the camera but brings up an array of filters that can be applied to a scene or person.
While these things sound small now, they were a leap for a user’s mental model at the time. However, what was remarkable was how quickly everyone caught on and quickly understood how this new system of taking photos worked. This innovation evolved the user’s mind and their mental model.
