The User Conceptual Model

Abelthom

Introduction
The user conceptual model is a mental image each user consciously forms as he or she interacts with the systems. People create mental models by putting together sets of perceived rules and patterns in a way that explains a situation.

Introduction
Each user conceptual model is based on the users expectations and understanding of what a system provides in terms of:
Functions Objects How the system responds The goals the user wants to accomplish

All of these are influenced by the users experience as they interact with different systems

Metaphors
The user interface should support a consistent metaphor or analogy. A metaphor relates two otherwise unrelated things.

In case of windows the metaphor is the physical desktop on which actions can be performed.
Users begin to expect and anticipate how this metaphor will behave and this helps them to conceptualize the interface

User Driven Interfaces

Are those that follow and support the way in which a user would expect to carry out a task. In contrast to an interface that imposes the designers view of how a task should be completed. Understanding this issue is critical to the designer as the system will be designed from the users viewpoint

Consistency
This requires that every Windows application should behave in a consistent fashion. This means all the design rules must be followed and all the menus should look familiar. Ideally a user should be able to start work with the new application without needing to read the user manual.

Modeless
All Windows applications should ideally be modeless. Users are in mode when they must cancel or complete what they are doing before the can do something else. A system where the designer decides, an user interface enforces sequence of events is modal.

Transparent
A user interface design in transparent if does not interfere with the task or actions of the user. The user is not conscious of a fully transparent interface.

Objects
The GUI is fundamentally object oriented. This does not necessarily imply that an object oriented programming language is used, but it means that everything that a user can interact will behave as an object e.g. documents, spreadsheets etc.

Where there a sub-objects the designer must consider this hierarchy fully to produce a compliant interface.

Actions
The application must make available a series of actions that can be applied to these objects. The Windows GUI requires that that, objects are identified first followed by the action that must be applied to that object. This must be consistently applied for all objects.

The sequence of actions for each object must also be identified.