User Experience Research
Investigating User Mental Models Through UX Research
This prompt helps teams design a research study to understand users’ mental models—how they perceive and conceptualize a product or feature. It focuses on aligning design decisions with user expectations for intuitive and effective experiences.
Responsible:
Product Design
Accountable, Informed or Consulted:
Design, Product, Marketing
THE PREP
Creating effective prompts involves tailoring them with detailed, relevant information and uploading documents that provide the best context. Prompts act as a framework to guide the response, but specificity and customization ensure the most accurate and helpful results. Use these prep tips to get the most out of this prompt:
Define key workflows or concepts where user understanding may vary.
Identify the target audience and recruit participants with diverse backgrounds.
Prepare materials, such as UI diagrams, prototypes, or task scenarios, to guide discussions.
THE PROMPT
Help design a UX research study to investigate users’ mental models for [specific product, feature, or workflow]. Focus on:
Participant Selection: Recruiting participants who represent the target user base and have varying levels of experience with similar products.
Scenario Exploration: Designing scenarios or questions to uncover how users think the product works or should work.
Concept Mapping: Using techniques like card sorting or diagramming to visualize users’ understanding of the product’s structure or flow.
Expectations Analysis: Identifying mismatches between user expectations and the actual design or functionality.
Improvement Opportunities: Gathering insights on how to redesign workflows or interfaces to better align with users’ mental models.
Provide recommendations for structuring the study, including tools (e.g., Optimal Workshop, FigJam) and methods for analyzing insights. If additional details about the product, target audience, or scenarios are needed, ask clarifying questions to refine the suggestions.
Bonus Add-On Prompts
Propose methods for identifying gaps between user mental models and the product’s design.
Suggest strategies for creating interactive exercises to reveal user expectations.
Highlight techniques for aligning user mental models with system workflows.
Use AI responsibly by verifying its outputs, as it may occasionally generate inaccurate or incomplete information. Treat AI as a tool to support your decision-making, ensuring human oversight and professional judgment for critical or sensitive use cases.
SUGGESTIONS TO IMPROVE
Focus on specific types of users, such as new users vs. experienced users.
Include follow-up interviews to explore changes in mental models after using the product.
Propose methods to test mental models for advanced features or niche workflows.
Highlight strategies for using insights to improve onboarding or documentation.
Add recommendations for combining mental model research with usability testing.
WHEN TO USE
To understand how users conceptualize product workflows or features.
During redesigns to ensure alignment with user expectations.
When introducing complex or novel features that require clear mental alignment.
WHEN NOT TO USE
If the product design is already finalized and cannot accommodate changes.
When focusing on aesthetic improvements unrelated to user understanding.