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| title | aliases | tags | sr-due | sr-interval | sr-ease | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 15-mental-models-representation-matters-distributing-cognition |
|
2022-04-29 | 3 | 250 |
doors are simple. But they are still done wrong very often. Incorrect labelling can give the user a wrong mental model - widening the "gulf of execution". Signifiers like handles, can create a certain mental model making you pull it. These are easier to process than labels like push and pull. Our brains are lazy, we will choose the easiest option.
Door is very simple compared to computer interface. Yet they are still done wrong.
"A conceptial model mismatch (use has the wrong mental model)" "Increases the Gulf of Execution (suporting the right model narrows it)"
Mental Models
- mental models are created by experience, metaphors, and analogical reasoning
- these models are developed further through interaction with the system
- designers (wrongly) often expect the users model to be the same as theirs
A mental model mistach leads to:
- slow performance
- errors
- frustration
participant-observation appretiships (and other techniques such as evaluating-designs) can uncover these mismatches.
Slips vs mistakes
| Slip | Mistake |
|---|---|
| accidental | on purpose (due to model mistach) |
How to create good mental models
- Direct Manipulation
- leveraging real world metphors
- this gives is a good idea of how each object works and how to control it
Representation Matters and Distributing cognition
use representatio nthat does not require user to memoreise things.
"solving a problem simply means representing it so as to make the solution transparent" - Herbert Simon, The sciences of the Artificial
memory games make finding pairs hard by introducing rules. This often happens in computers interfaces needlessly difficult to use
depeding o nhow you represent a problem, you can make is easy or hard.
Working memory
users have a working memory (2±2 limit). You shouldn't require users to remember anything that you could put on a screen.
If something takes a lot of time. You wil get distracted, and forget something.
Naturalness principle
- experiemental cognition is raised when the properties of the representation match the properties of the thing being represented