Mental Model Matrix: Implications for System Design and Training

Mental models are characterized as a person’s mental representation of how something works, guiding how they process information, anticipate future events, and interact with devices and tools in complex sociotechnical systems. This paper introduces the Mental Model Matrix (MMM), a novel framework for conceptualizing mental models in the context of human-system interactions. The MMM framework partitions aspects of an individual’s knowledge about a target system into two primary dimensions (system and user), each containing beliefs regarding capabilities and limitations. The system-based dimension includes knowledge for the system’s parts, connections, and causal relationships (capabilities), as well as knowledge for how the system can fail (limitations). The user-based dimension incorporates tacit knowledge for working with the system (capabilities) along with an appreciation for one’s own confusions and misunderstandings (limitations). The MMM provides a conceptual framework and guidance for end-users, trainers, and system designers seeking to elicit and codify different dimensions of an individual’s mental model of the systems they work with. The MMM can be used to reveal knowledge gaps and misalignments between different stakeholders in an organization, which can facilitate the development of human-centered technologies and systems, and the creation of effective training programs.