Psychological analysis of users' mental models and operating abilities.
- Presentation
- User Involvement & Feedback
-
Masayasu Watai
- Jumonji University
Contents
One of the important roles of the manuals is to form a user's mental model correctly. Technical communicators must always be aware of users' mental models. This presentation will focus on users' mental models pertaining to the product's operating principles. Based on research findings from psychology and ergonomics, the following topics will be introduced; 1) Basic understandings of mental models, 2) The research showing that operational experience promotes mental model formation, 3) The effect of explanations pertaining to the product's operating principles on the formation of users' mental models and understanding of how the product works. This presentation proposes that improving the user's ability to operate products comes not from knowledge of how to use them, but from a mental model of how it works.
Takeaways
This presentation will be expected to impress upon participants that accurately forming mental models pertaining to the product's operating principles is a significant role in technical communication.
Prior knowledge
Not particularly