James Berghoff-Blog Assignment 5

The users mental model of an object is what they feel the object does for them. It is how they think the object will work when they use it in a certain way. Like the thermostat example, a user feels that cranking up the temperature will make them warmer faster, however the "personality" of the object does not work in that way.

This model contrasts with the implemenation because, the designers do not create the object to the exact needs of the users. They do not know how every user plans on using the object and in what way. Also, if the user is unaware of how exactly the object works, then their theory of how it works for them is different than how the design was made.