Lecture

Mental Models and Metaphors in Software Design

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In course

CS-486: Interaction design

This course focuses on goal-directed design and interaction design, two subjects treated in depth in the Cooper book (see reference below). To practice these two methods, we propose a design challenge, which is further divided into mini-projects evenly spa ...

Description

This lecture explores the importance of mental models in software design, discussing how designers can control the represented model and the significance of consistency in metaphors. It also delves into the psychology behind mental models, their formation, adaptation, and examples of their application in tasks like buying online or sharing files. The instructor emphasizes the need for goal-directed interactions that align with user mental models, debunking myths about users needing to understand complex mechanisms fully. Ultimately, the lecture advocates for a user-centric approach in design, aligning technology with human thinking to enhance user experience.

Instructor

Pearl Pu Faltings

Expertise Human computer interaction, artificial intelligence, user experience research, user modeling, preference-based search, intelligent user interfaces, information visualization. Teaching & PhD Past EPFL PhD Students Denis Lalanne, Georgios Melissargos, Frank Paul Janecek, Li Chen, Jiyong Zhang, Nicolas Jones, Rong Hu, Yu Chen, Valentina Sintsova, Onur Yürüten, Yubo Xie, Ekaterina Svikhnushina, Kalpani Anuradha Welivita Past EPFL PhD Students as codirector Marina Boia, Igor Kulev Courses Interaction

Official source

Related concepts (16)

Psychology

Psychology is the study of mind and behavior in humans and non-humans. Psychology includes the study of conscious and unconscious phenomena, including feelings and thoughts. It is an academic discipline of immense scope, crossing the boundaries between the natural and social sciences. Psychologists seek an understanding of the emergent properties of brains, linking the discipline to neuroscience. As social scientists, psychologists aim to understand the behavior of individuals and groups.

Mental health

Mental health encompasses emotional, psychological, and social well-being, influencing cognition, perception, and behavior. According to World Health Organization (WHO), it is a "state of well-being in which the individual realizes his or her abilities, can cope with the normal stresses of life, can work productively and fruitfully, and can contribute to his or her community". It likewise determines how an individual handles stress, interpersonal relationships, and decision-making.

Mental disorder

A mental disorder, also referred to as a mental illness or psychiatric disorder, is a behavioral or mental pattern that causes significant distress or impairment of personal functioning. A mental disorder is also characterized by a clinically significant disturbance in an individual's cognition, emotional regulation, or behavior. It is usually associated with distress or impairment in important areas of functioning. There are many different types of mental disorders. Mental disorders may also be referred to as mental health conditions.

Applied psychology

Applied psychology is the use of psychological methods and findings of scientific psychology to solve practical problems of human and animal behavior and experience. Educational and organizational psychology, business management, law, health, product design, ergonomics, behavioural psychology, psychology of motivation, psychoanalysis, neuropsychology, psychiatry and mental health are just a few of the areas that have been influenced by the application of psychological principles and scientific findings.

User experience

The user experience (UX) is how a user interacts with and experiences a product, system or service. It includes a person's perceptions of utility, ease of use, and efficiency. Improving user experience is important to most companies, designers, and creators when creating and refining products because negative user experience can diminish the use of the product and, therefore, any desired positive impacts; conversely, designing toward profitability often conflicts with ethical user experience objectives and even causes harm.

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