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Mental/Conceptual Model

Define​

The concepts and thought processes which define a user's understanding of a system's functions or structure

Users have a mental picture of how a system is organised, often mapping how objects work in the physical world. If the model used by the system designers is similar (or complementary) to the user's mental model, the user's understanding of that system is accurate. If the system uses a different model from the user's own, it can be difficult to use.

A system's actual model, whether or not it is compatible with the user's own, is known as the conceptual model. It is important to thoroughly research users' understanding to be sure the conceptual and mental models are compatible.

Resources​