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Thesis mid-term

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Thesis Abstract:

Conceptual Model- a design methodology

My thesis focuses on developing a design methodology- the conceptual model methodology. There are three kinds of models that are closely related or included in the conceptual model methodology: the conceptual model, the mental model and the implementation model. “A conceptual model is the actual model that is given to the user through the interface of the product.” (by Susan Carey in the article Cognitive Science and Science Education). “A mental model represents a person’s thought process for how something works” (by Susan Weinschenk in 100 things every designer needs to know about people ). An implementation model describes how the tool is actually built.
I believe that the mental model represents the force from users, the implementation model represents the force from technology, and the conceptual model is balancing these two forces and represents design.

The conceptual model and the mental model concepts have been around for a while, but they haven’t been fully developped in the design field. I want the methodology to be a helpful and efficient way to design better products.

A diagram from Don Norman

Mental and conceptual model

This diagram is from Don Norman. This is the article

Designers express their conceptual model through the product. Don Norman called it “system image” or we can call it controls,  and users get their mental models through the controls or the “system image.”

An example – mental models of IKEA shopping

mental models of IKEA shopping

This is my own experience. Before I ever went to IKEA, I thought the process would simply mean finding a piece of furniture, paying for it and it will be delivered to my home, however after I bought the big sofa I gained a much more complex mental model. I learned their shopping process during the experience, breaking my previous mental model and developing a new mental model. I didn’t understand why the sofa can be related with two or more article numbers. The first time, we didn’t buy the cover for the sofa. The second time, we bought the sofa’s feet with wrong color.

People create mental models.

People interact with conceptual models

——-Susan Weinschenk

Theoretical environment of conceptual model – mapping statement

Theoretical environment of conceptual model

In my perspective, there are two other models that are closely related with conceptual model: mental model and implementation model.  More about the theories. 

 Researching mental models and representing conceptual model

To develop the methodology, my professors suggested that I should find a specific area to research. I chose the air conditioner in car, because it is not too complex, such as the email system,  or too simple, such as the alarm clock. Furthermore, the air conditioners in cars haven’t been fully  “user-centered designed.”

air conditioner research-mid-term

I want to point out two main “mis-matches” between mental models and conceptual models:

  1. Ruiwen uses the “up arrow with the little man” button,  which turns on the fans located near the front window, to defrost the window; however the button is intentionally supposed to adjust or customize the fans’ directions.
  2. Ming uses the “red temperature button” to turn on the air conditioner, and the “lower down fans’ speed button” to turn off the air conditioner. However, the manual says that to turn the air conditioner on/off, you should turn up/down the speed.

These two mis-matches are mis-matches between the user’s mental model and the designer’s conceptual model (designers’ or engineers’  intentions). They are links between controls (operations) and outcomes(goals).

Thoughts and Further Explorations

1. Further Interviews: explore different aspects of how people think about it, find out more details about their mental models.

2. Explore better ways to represent and compare the models.

3. Redesign the climate system in the car.

4. Look for designers who designed the climate system in the car, and see their responses on this new design methodology.

This diagram expresses the relationships between goals, tasks and operations. As I am not clear about how mental and conceptual models look like, I did this diagram to explore the models of these two models.

goals and operations diagram

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Ying Liang

I am a product manager working at Ruijie Networks, currently working on educational products.

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