A Brief, Very Brief, Introduction to Task Based Models

A Brief, Very Brief, Introduction to Task Based Models Indi Young [email_address] user experience design & research

What is a Mental Model?

What is a Mental Model? Fill coffee maker with water Take first glorious sip Go to cafe for beans Grind beans Clean out filter Find clean mug Wipe up counter Measure and scoop grounds

What a Mental Model Diagram Looks Like

Collections of tasks organized in a skyline horizon chart

Three levels  Task, Tower, and Mental Space

You can use a mental model to define a product

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Ah Ha!

Three Classes of Research Software Structure Information Architecture Content Location Contextual Information Contextual Marketing Gap Analysis Task Interviews Contextual Inquiry Surveys Conceptual How things get done Interaction Design Interaction Flow Page Layout Nomenclature Prototypes Usability Testing Log Analysis Customer Feedback Card Sorting Ability What is understood or accomplished with a tool Visual Interpretation Branding Target Marketing Surveys Focus Groups Preference Interviews Card Sorting Preference Preferences, opinions, desires Uses Techniques Data

Building product improvements based on

Preference Research

is like

Building a house from a

stack of magazine clippings

instead of a blueprint

Glossy Kitchen Advertisement

Define the Groups by Task

Movie-goers:

80-year-old grandmother 17-year-old teenage boy

Possible Segment Names from Other Workshops

Movie Buff, Expert

Singles Scene, Dating Couples, Husband & Wife (on a date)

Movie Mom, Mom’s Circle (person w/dependents)

Frugal Moviegoer

Whining Moviegoer (high maintenance)

Celebrity Fan

Enthusiasts (single person)

Create a Dynamic Screener

Dynamic Screener - Bottom

Non-Directed Interviews

Six Rules

Do, not Feel

Open Questions Only

No Words of Your Own

Follow the Conversation

Not About Tools

Immediate Experience

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Interviews: Transcript After

Phone vs. Face-to-Face Yak yak yak yak yak yak yak yak yak yak yuk yak yak yak yak yak yak yak yak yak yak yak yak... Yak yak yak yak yak yak yak yak yak yak yuk yak yak yak yak yak yak yak yak yak yak yak yak...