Mental Model Diagrams (Cartoon)

We tend to carefully create our HTML and CSS, and meticulously place every pixel to our designs. We plan exactly where our content should be placed on a particular site. Among many other decisions we need to make, we always keep in mind to craft a great experience for all our users.But how do we know what our users really want?

One way is to understand the motivations that drive users in general. A mental model diagram can be created to do just that—to dive deeper and discover what users are trying to accomplish, and then create solutions that match.

In this comic, Indi and Brad introduce mental model diagrams to us and how we can use them to build better websites. You can also view a larger version of the comic here.

Feel free to share your thoughts on mental model diagrams in the comments section below.

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Indi Young and Brad Colbow for Smashing Magazine, 2012.