L. Smith - Blog #5

As you begin to think about project #4, what is the user’s mental model with respect to an object's personality and surrounding interactions?

- The user's mental model is what the user believes they are doing as they accomplish a task. This task may not always be carried out exactly as it was intended (i.e. the infamous trash can example), but if the user is satisfied and accomplishes their tasks to their liking, there is nothing to argue.

How might this mental model contrast with the implementation model of the programmers?

- The two models contrast because the implementation model is constructed in the mind of the programmer which may lead to confusing features or foreign error messages that may throw an average user off. The mental model may differ from person to person because each user may perceive a feature or program differently. In each case, the programmer and the user will have different understandings and uses for a product which somehow always leads to confusion.