[Sigia-l] Conceptual models (again): metaphors or categories?

[Ziya Oz]

"PeterV" wrote:

> Does anyone have examples or stories about how they describe/use mental
> models of users when building websites?

Users may or may not form mental models. They may or may not utilize them.
Mental models may or may not aid/hinder the site's explicit navigation
model. On a less altruistic day, one might even say that this is fertile
ground for a lot of psycho-babble.

I'm not saying users don't form mental models, I'm, however, questioning if
site builders should try to outsmart themselves by thinking that they can
predict and shape users' mental models, before they build the site.

Best,

Ziya