Blending Familiarity and Innovation

In a previous assignment, I wrote about one of my favorite products: the Apple Watch. It’s always on my wrist, providing me with updates at a glance. Although it functions more like a smartphone than a traditional watch, I still consider it my everyday watch. The way it blends the familiarity of a traditional watch with the capabilities of a smartphone exemplifies how mental models shape user experience. Mental models represent users’ expectations based on past experiences, and Apple excels at leveraging this concept in their design.

What Are Mental Models?

Mental models are the internal expectations we develop from interacting with similar products. They guide our assumptions about how a system should behave; for example, most people understand that a shopping cart icon leads to the checkout process. These models enable users to navigate new experiences by relying on their prior knowledge.

When a design aligns with a user’s mental model, the experience feels intuitive. Users can complete tasks quickly without needing to learn new behaviors, which reduces cognitive effort and increases satisfaction. A product that feels familiar and easy to use encourages users to return.

In the same assignment I mentioned earlier, I reflected on my first experience using a self-checkout station at Aldi. Even though I was unfamiliar with that specific store, I had already developed a mental model for self-checkout machines, which made it easy for me to navigate the process.

Designing for Mental Models

Designers can align with mental models through user research, adherence to familiar patterns, and testing with real users. By understanding how users think and interact, designers can create experiences that feel natural and intuitive.

During a project for my User Experience Design certificate, I worked on redesigning the Missouri Archives website. While our focus was on improving navigation, my team also emphasized using mental models. We modeled the layout after a physical archive, where items are meticulously organized by collection, date, topic, and more — just like they would be stored in files and folders at a physical storage site.

Takeaway

Designing with mental models in mind ensures that users can navigate products effortlessly, enhancing usability and overall satisfaction. In my design process, I strive to balance innovation and new ideas with familiar mental models, creating experiences that resonate with users.