02 – User in UI Design
Mental models
• Definition: What a user believes about a system.
• Problem: Gaps can form between:
o Designer’s conceptual model.
o User’s mental model.
Types of Mental Models:
• Implementation Model: Technical perspective of the system.
• Conceptual Model: Designer's intended mental model for users.
• User's Mental Model: Often incomplete or based on assumptions.
• Learning Conceptual Models: Learners’ mental models are usually incomplete, unstable,
and inconsistent
The Two Gulfs of Human-Computer Interaction
• Gulf of Execution: Difficulty in understanding how to operate a device.
• Gulf of Evaluation: Difficulty in understanding the device's current state and whether the
actions achieved the desired result.
• Design Mission: Help users bridge these gulfs through intuitive design.
Seven Stages of Action
• Form a Goal: Decide on an objective.
• Plan the Action: Determine the steps to achieve the goal.
• Specify an Action Sequence: Decide how to execute the steps.
• Perform the Action: Carry out the steps.
• Perceive the State of the World: Observe results.
• Interpret the State: Understand the observed results.
• Compare with the Goal: Assess if the goal was achieved.
Triggers for Actions
• Event-Driven Actions: Triggered by external events (e.g., notifications).
• Self-Driven Actions: Triggered by personal goals (e.g., writing a note).
Human Cognition and Emotion (Three Levels of Processing)
• Visceral:
o Quick, subconscious judgments.
o Fast and automatic (e.g., recognizing danger).
• Behavioral:
o Home of learned skills.
o Actions are subconscious (e.g., typing, sports).
• Reflective:
o Conscious reasoning and decision-making.
o Deep analysis, slow processing, highest level of emotions.
• Design Implications:
o Effective designs engage all three levels:
▪ Visceral: Immediate appeal.
▪ Behavioral: Smooth functionality.
▪ Reflective: Long-term satisfaction and meaning.
Design Insights from Stages of Action
• Task analysis:
o Understand goals and sub-goals.
o Identify points of struggle.
• Product evaluation:
o Ensure users know alternatives and actions.
o Provide clear feedback for better interpretation.
Seven Fundamental Principles of Design
• Discoverability: Can users understand the features?
• Feedback: Is the system responsive and informative?
• Conceptual Model: Is the design intuitive?
• Affordances: Are the actions obvious?
• Signifiers: Do hints guide user actions?
• Mappings: Is the control-to-function relationship clear?
• Constraints: Are improper actions prevented?