01 / THE IDEA
What does it mean?
A mental model is a person's internal explanation of how something behaves. Designs feel intuitive when they align with reasonable expectations.
02 / IN PRACTICE
Make it concrete.
Illustrative example: A shopping cart keeps items until checkout, matching what shoppers expect a cart to do.
03 / WHAT TO WATCH FOR
A common mistake.
Assuming people understand the product's internal structure.
04 / WHEN IT HELPS
When should you use it?
When users repeatedly predict the wrong outcome after an action.
05 / FURTHER READING
Explore the source.
Nielsen Norman Group — Mental Models ↗A reference for further learning, not an endorsement or verbatim quotation.