Websites are very often developed from the operator’s point of view. So it is no wonder, when customers do not find their intentions represented on a Website. This can have dramatic consequences for companies. Visitors leave the website without conversion and have no intention to visit it again. If you want to know how your users “tick” then you have to deal with the mental model of your users.

1. The
bait
has
to
appeal
to
the
fish,
not
the
fisherman
Websites
are
very
often
developed
from
the
operator’s
point
of
view.
So
it
is
no
wonder,
when
customers
do
not
find
their
intentions
represented
on
a
Website.
This
can
have
dramatic
consequences
for
companies.
Visitors
leave
the
website
without
conversion
and
have
no
intention
to
visit
it
again.
If
you
want
to
know
how
your
users
“tick”
then
you
have
to
deal
with
the
mental
model
of
your
users.
Who
doesn’t
know
this
situation:
You
simply
want
to
book
an
online
ticket,
but
in
case
of
some
websites
this
relatively
easy
task
results
in
a
kind
of
gauntlet
running.
In
the
end
there
is
only
annoyance
and
frustration
and
at
best
you
have
reached
your
aim
and
managed
to
receive
a
ticket.
However,
this
is
no
pleasure
and,
understandably,
no
encouragement
for
a
further
visit
of
the
relevant
website.
The
next
time
the
user
will
chose
a
different
website
which
provides
a
better
orientation
and
corresponds
to
the
personal
expectations.
But
what
offers
one
website
that
another
one
doesn’t?
It
may
be
that
very
often
neither
the
operator
nor
the
designer
are
aware
of
the
expectations
of
the
target
group
that
means
they
do
know
nothing
about
the
mental
model
of
their
main
target
group.
The
contents
of
a
website
are
structured
and
presented
in
a
way
that
corresponds
to
the
mental
model
of
the
operator:
Company
purposes
are
transported
to
the
outside.
Furthermore,
the
products
are
arranged
rather
to
correspond
to
the
organisation
of
the
purchase
department.
The
terms
for
the
navigation
are
borrowed
from
the
company’s
vocabulary
and
the
contents
are
presented
in
a
way
as
if
the
reader
had
all
the
time
in
the
world
to
read
the
texts
into
detail.
Users
always
have
an
aim
In
real
life,
however,
the
user
visits
a
website
with
a
certain
aim,
he
is
looking
for
a
certain
product
or
a
piece
of
information,
respectively
and
/
or
he
might
want
to
carry
out
a
certain
transaction.
He
searches
for
specific
key
words,
he
has
certain
expectations
based
on
experiences
with
other
websites
and
he
wants
to
reach
his
aim
as
fast
as
possible
without
difficulty.
That
some
visitors
occasionally
change
their
intension
and
are
easily
encouraged
to
browse
through
further
websites
is
the
nature
of
the
internet
–
and
this
can
and
should
be
offered.
Generally,
however,
the
user
always
pursues
a
certain
objective
on
a
website,
whether
consciously
or
not.
He
enters
a
search
term
in
a
search
engine
or
arrives
at
a
new
website
via
a
link
–
whether
it
is
a
homepage
or
a
different
landing
page.
The
first
thing
he
will
do
now
is
to
find
out
whether
he
found
a
suitable
site:
Does
it
refer
to
the
subject,
he
was
looking
for?
Is
the
website
optically
appealing?
Can
he
assume
that
he
will
have
no
trouble
navigating
through
the
website?
These
are
some
of
the
questions
a
user
asks
at
the
first
contact
with
a
website.
Just
like
in
case
of
the
first
meeting
with
another
person,
the
first
impression
is
of
particular
importance
and
decides
about
staying
or
leaving.
1

2. The
first
impression
is
vital
/
decisive
Canadian
scientists
discovered
in
a
study
that
already
during
the
first
50
milliseconds
a
user
decides
whether
he
likes
a
website
or
not.
Considering
that
just
one
blink
of
an
eye
lasts
about
300
to
400
milliseconds,
it
becomes
clear
how
very
short
this
moment
actually
is.
It
was
also
observed
that
this
first
impression
has
an
equally
lasting
effect
like
the
first
meeting
with
another
human.
The
so-­‐called
halo
effect
occurs,
that
means
the
first
assessment
outshines
all
further
impressions.
For
this
reason
it
is
extremely
important
to
do
everything
as
correctly
as
possible
–
just
like
in
case
of
the
first
date.
So
first
of
all:
you
have
to
get
to
know
your
counterpart
better,
you
have
to
find
out
how
he
ticks.
Sympathy
and
acceptance
occur,
when
something
is
similar,
when
there
is
some
sort
of
a
connection,
when
our
mental
model
can
be
connected
to
something
familiar.
Therefore
it
is
so
important
to
know
the
mental
model
of
your
user.
This
is
exactly
where
the
methods
of
the
User
Centered
Designs
come
in.
As
the
term
already
indicates
–the
complete
process
of
design
focuses
on
the
user,
from
the
concept
of
a
product
to
its
implementation.
According
to
the
problem,
project
phase
and
restrictions
like
budget
and
time
the
use
of
different
methods
is
the
ideal
way.
Watch
your
users
surfing
the
internet
If
you
want
to
know
how
users
use
your
website,
then
you
should
commission
a
usability-­‐test.
Representative
users
are
invited
to
a
usability-­‐lab
and
asked
to
perform
typical
tasks
on
a
website.
Therefore
the
users
are
asked
to
think
aloud
that
means
to
say
aloud
everything
they
feel
and
think
–
this
is
also
called
Thinking-­‐Aloud-­‐Protocol.
A
test
leader
supervises
the
usability
test
which
is
carried
out
in
form
of
a
one-­‐on-­‐one
interview.
Optimally,
the
management
of
the
company
concerned
as
well
as
of
the
internet
agency
follow
the
test
live.
Using
special
software
all
screen
activities
as
well
as
image
and
sound
of
the
test
person
are
recorded.
Afterwards
the
expectations
as
well
as
the
needs
of
the
user
regarding
the
website
can
be
identified
due
to
a
detailed
analysis.
In
consideration
of
the
business
goals
of
the
individual
company,
optimisation
proposals
are
presented
which,
when
implemented,
lead
to
satisfied
customers
and
an
increase
of
the
relevant
company
indicators.
Listening
Lab
–
a
different
form
of
the
usability-­tests
The
usability-­‐test
is
suitable
to
identify
weak
points
in
the
use
of
websites
and
to
understand
their
causes.
What
the
usability-­‐test
does
not
show
is
how
the
user
actually
-­‐
in
normal
life
–
uses
the
internet.
The
test
is
carried
out
in
a
laboratory
situation
and
the
test
persons
are
confronted
with
predefined
tasks,
which
directly
lead
them
to
the
website
to
be
examined.
To
receive
a
more
realistic
image
of
the
use
of
websites,
the
New
York
design
agency
Creative
Good
has
developed
the
method
of
the
Listening
Labs.
The
main
difference
to
the
usability-­‐test
is
that
the
test
persons
do
not
receive
any
tasks.
As
the
name
suggests,
the
test
is
mainly
about
listening.
In
an
exploratory
interview,
carried
out
before
the
actual
test,
the
test
persons
are
asked
about
their
experiences,
needs,
thoughts
and
feelings
concerning
the
subject
to
be
examined.
Then
they
are
invited
to
look
through
the
internet
just
in
the
same
way
as
they
would
normally
do.
2

3. The
right
instinct
is
required
The
moderator
observes
the
test
persons
while
they
are
surfing
and
asks
one
or
two
questions.
He
subtly
draws
the
attention
to
the
websites
the
particular
project
is
focused
on
–
this
is
of
course
the
website
of
the
client
but
also
those
of
the
relevant
competitors.
It
is
very
important
that
the
tests
are
supervised
by
an
experienced
expert.
A
comfortable
and
confiding
atmosphere
guarantees
that
the
test
persons
freely
surf
through
the
net
without
being
afraid
of
doing
anything
wrong.
At
the
same
time
the
questions
have
to
be
formulated
in
a
way
that
they
do
not
influence
the
answers
of
the
test
persons.
The
comprehensive
results
generated
from
such
a
test
provide
knowledge
extending
well
beyond
the
current
usability-­‐test.
One
of
the
advantages
is
that
the
test
persons
evaluate
the
website
of
the
client
in
an
unbiased
manner,
because
they
do
not
know
which
website
is
in
the
centre
of
the
study.
At
the
same
time
the
test
persons
act
in
an
intrinsic
way
when
searching
the
internet
that
means
they
look
for
information
or
carry
out
interactions
that
are
inspired
by
their
own
motivation.
This
offers
insights
that
are
sometimes
quite
surprising
and
nobody
would
have
expected
them
before.
Not
the
opinion
is
interesting
but
the
behaviour
The
listening
labs
as
well
as
the
usability-­‐test
mainly
deal
with
the
behaviour
of
the
test
persons.
The
personal
view
or
opinion
of
a
test
person
concerning
a
certain
website
is
not
so
interesting,
but
it
is
important
to
know
how
the
person
acts
on
this
website
and
whether
he
reaches
his
aim.
People
very
often
tell
you
what
they
liked
and
what
they
would
want.
But
at
the
moment
of
making
the
decision,
they
mostly
act
completely
different.
In
this
respect
an
experiment
should
be
mentioned,
where
the
participants
of
a
focus
group
were
asked,
among
other
things,
which
colour
they
would
prefer
for
a
game
console.
Some
participants
voted
for
yellow,
others
for
black.
As
they
were
leaving
the
participants
were
allowed
to
take
one
console
each
as
a
present.
On
one
side
of
the
door
was
a
pile
of
black
units,
on
the
other
side
a
pile
of
yellow
ones.
What
do
you
think
from
which
pile
most
of
the
consoles
were
taken?
From
the
pile
with
the
black
consoles
–
not
one
of
the
participants
decided
for
a
yellow
unit.
To
find
out
how
to
use
the
method
of
the
listening
labs,
which
results
can
be
obtained
and
how
these
can
be
used
in
practice,
please
see
the
following
case
study.
Redesign
of
the
Website
www.remifemin.de
A
new
web
presence
was
to
be
developed
for
the
market
leader
in
the
field
of
prescription
medicines
in
the
menopause
indication.
It
had
to
be
taken
into
consideration
that
in
information
acquisition
referring
to
health
subjects,
especially
in
a
taboo
area,
the
internet
plays
an
important
role.
The
interactive
agency
white-­‐x
had
already
developed
some
proposals
–
it
was
thought
to
create
a
website
giving
the
impression
of
a
wellness
oasis.
However,
to
make
sure
to
be
on
the
right
track,
company
and
internet
agency
decided
to
have
a
usability
study
carried
out.
The
User
Experience
Consulting
Agency
NetFlow
was
entrusted
with
the
order
and
recommended
the
application
of
a
listening
lab.
The
test
was
carried
out
with
eight
participants
of
the
target
group.
At
first
their
professional
background
and
their
way
to
use
the
internet
were
discussed.
Afterwards
they
changed
to
the
actual
subject
of
the
study
–
the
menopause.
The
women
were
asked,
in
what
way
they
had
already
dealt
3

4. with
the
subject,
whether
they
had
already
gathered
relevant
information
in
the
internet
and
whether
there
are
more
things
they
would
like
to
know.
With
the
invitation
“then
go
and
see
what
you
can
find
in
the
internet”
the
participants
were
sent
to
the
web.
It
was
up
to
them
to
choose
the
internet
browser
as
well
as
the
search
terms
to
look
for
the
desired
information.
And
already
at
this
point
the
first,
interesting
observations
were
made:
Which
of
the
entries
on
the
search
engine
result
page
encourage
the
user
to
click,
which
entries
are
skipped
and
which
are
not
even
found.
The
test
was
followed
live
from
an
observation
room
by
the
client
as
well
as
the
agency
and
the
astonishment
and
sometimes
even
a
certain
disbelief
–
was
obvious,
however,
this
is
reality,
this
is
how
users
of
the
target
group
approach
the
web
and
most
of
the
time
this
is
completely
different
from
our
imagination.
When
visiting
the
individual
websites
the
participants
were
asked
for
their
first
impression
of
each
website
and
it
was
observed
what
information
they
were
looking
for
and
how
they
searched
for
it
on
the
individual
pages.
It
was
also
very
informative
to
know,
which
kind
of
texts
–
concerning
the
contents
as
well
as
the
style
of
writing,
but
also
regarding
the
formal
presentation
–
the
participants
valued
most.
It
also
turned
out
that
the
version
of
the
website
www.remifemin.de
that
was
current
at
that
time
did
very
well
compared
to
the
competitive
websites.
Knowledge
about
the
mental
model
of
your
target
group,
gives
you
a
clear
advantage
In
a
dialogue
between
the
comapny,
the
internet
agency
and
NetFlow
the
common
observations
were
discussed
and
it
became
clear:
Concerning
the
redesign
we
have
to
change
the
direction.
The
women
concerned
did
not
want
a
wellness
oasis
–
as
was
the
intention
before
the
test
–,
instead
they
wanted
a
definite
answer
to
their
questions
in
a
“normal“,
and
unpretentious
manner.
Among
other
things
it
was
also
surprising
that
most
of
the
participants
thought
that
the
otherwise
unpopular
package
insert
was
useful:
„I
think
this
is
very
good.
I
would
print
the
package
insert
and
take
it
to
my
next
visit
to
the
doctor”.
Figure:
Homepage
of
www.remifemin.de
after
the
redesign
The
test
led
to
an
intensive
discussion
about
the
mental
model
and
the
behaviour
of
the
target
group.
So,
for
example,
when
designing
the
new
website
those
topics
the
test
participants
were
most
4

5. interested
in,
were
adopted
as
menu
items
in
the
main
navigation.
The
formulation
of
the
categories
follows
the
language
of
the
users.
The
texts
were
clearly
arranged
and
most
of
them
were
provided
with
subheadings
so
that
a
quicker
scanning
for
interesting
key
words
–
which
were
identified
using
the
test
–
is
possible.
The
package
insert
for
the
products
is
available
in
four
languages
–
German,
English,
Russian
and
Turkish
–
and
can
easily
be
printed
as
PDF
file.
Also
in
terms
of
the
entire
look
and
feel
of
the
Website
the
internet
agency
took
its
inspiration
from
the
comments
of
the
users.
Due
to
the
precise
information
from
the
analysis
of
the
tests
it
was
possible
for
the
internet
agency
to
develop
the
new
target-­‐orientated
website.
The
manager
of
the
white-­‐x
interactive
agency
for
medical
marketing
(www.white-­‐cross.de/blog),
Henning
Lorenz
commented
the
use
of
the
listening
labs
as
follows:
“A
test
seemed
to
be
the
only
possibility,
to
approach
the
user
habits
and
requirements
of
women
concerning
a
menopause
-­‐
website.
The
results
were
surprising
in
many
ways.
We
received
a
lot
of
important
information
that
considerably
influenced
the
new
internet
presence
with
refer
to
form
and
content.
An
indication
that
the
new
website
is
well
received
by
the
target
group
is
the
significant
increase
in
the
length
of
stay
per
session.
A
confirmation
for
us
that
the
users
feel
”at
home”
on
our
website.
(Author:
Karen
Lindemann
of
NetFlow
User
Experience
Consulting,
Publication:
Magazine
"Website
Boosting"
07-­‐08/2010)
Karen
Lindemann
is
a
psychologist
and
experienced
advertiser
with
years
of
experience
as
a
writer
in
agencies.
In
2005
she
founded
the
user
experience
agency
NetFlow
and
consults
well-­‐known
companies
on
the
optimization
of
websites,
products
and
services.
Karen
also
advises
clients
on
information
and
product
strategy.
In
addition
to
standard
user-­‐centered
design
methods
such
as
usability
testing,
expert
reviews,
card
sorting,
personas,
co-­‐creation
and
mental
model
diagrams,
she
also
conducts
ethnographic
studies
and
deep
emotional-­‐based
interviews.
Karen
is
also
active
in
organizing
workshop
on
user
experience-­‐related
workshops
for
professionals
in
the
field.
Website:
www.netflow-­‐lindemann.de
Website:
www.ux-­‐workshops.com
E-­‐Mail:
kl@netflow-­‐lindemann.de
XING:
www.xing.com/profile/Karen_Lindemann
LinkedIn:
http://de.linkedin.com/in/karenlindemann
Twitter:
twitter.com/karenlindemann/
5