Mental models
Gerrit C. van der Veer, Maria del Carmen Puerta Melguizo

1. Why bother about mental models in HCI
   • Examples of problems
   • Examples of valid relations
2. Mental models in Psychological theory
   • Overview of relevant concepts and theories
   • Craik
   • Johnson-Laird
   • Norman, Young
   • Carroll, Olson
   • Caqas
3. Classification
   • Mental models of procedures / semantics
   • Static vs dynamic
   • Internal vs extern knowledge
   • Individual vs shared mental models
4. The pragmatic approach towards applying the Psychological concept of Mental model
   • What type of knowledge do computer users need
   • What type of insight in users' knowledge do designers need
   • The Users' Virtual Machine
   • Designing for Users and Tasks: ("DUTCH design") and the location of mental models in the design process
5. How to conceptualize and "measure" mental models
   • Conceptualizing means explaining with a goal (this will result in indicating what type of characteristics of MM are relevant in any given design question)
   • Methods to externalize mental models:
     • Pathfinder techniques (Schvaneveldt)
     • Teach-back techniques (Pask, van der Veer)
6. Examples of empirical results on mental model "measurement"
   • Mental models of operating systems
   • Differences between mental models of experts and novices in various knowledge domains: (Physics, Artistic design, Public administration domain, ...)
   • Shared mental models, relation to team problem solving
7. Applying MM measurement in design
   • Designing systems for incidental use (walk-up-and use systems)
   • Early appl. of MM in envisioning future systems
8. Guidelines for practise
   • Mental model applications in design: do's and dont's
   • When to hire a Psychologist
   • Do-it-yourselve (or MM for dummies)
9. Conclusions