Mental Models: How to Design for the Way Your Users Think

1-Hour Master Class with Susan Weinschenk and Guthrie Weinschenk

Every one of us uses mental models as we go about our lives—regardless of your product, service or industry, your users have mental models that guide them.

But what are mental models? Simply put, a mental model represents how a person thinks something works. Mental models do evolve through time and experience, but in every form, they shape how users behave, what they notice and how they process information.

As a designer, should you care about mental models? Absolutely. If your design is incompatible with your users’ mental models, they’ll find it challenging to use your product or service. If you don’t consider the mental models your users have, you risk creating friction for your users. And wherever there’s friction, there’s low user engagement, low product adoption and many more negative effects on your product’s success.

Learning how to leverage and influence mental models is a powerful skill for designers to have. And in this Master Class, Susan and Guthrie Weinschenk will help you get started effectively!

You’ll learn:

How to understand the mental models your users have
How to influence users to change their mental models
How to incorporate mental models into steps in your design process
How to test whether your designs fit with prevailing mental models
How to decide how many mental models to consider within your user base

With a more robust understanding of mental models, you’ll find more success in how you attract, onboard, engage and retain users. Knowing how your users and customers think is a highly valuable skill set in any function or role, so join this Master Class and learn how to apply mental models in your work.

Your Speakers and Industry Experts

Susan Weinschenk, popularly known as "The Brain Lady", has a Ph.D. in Psychology, and is the Chief Behavioral Scientist and CEO at The Team W, Inc, as well as an Adjunct Professor at the University of Wisconsin, Stevens Point.

Susan consults with Fortune 1000 companies, start-ups, governments and non-profits, and is the author of several books, including 100 Things Every Designer Needs To Know About People, 100 MORE Things Every Designer Needs To Know About People and How To Get People To Do Stuff.

You can follow Susan's work on The Team W website and on Twitter @thebrainlady

Guthrie Weinschenk is a Behavioral Economist and the COO of The Team W, Inc.

He has a degree in Economics, a law degree, and is a licensed attorney. He consults, teaches, and specializes in business strategy, behavioral economics, and ethics. He is the host of the podcast Human Tech and author of I Love You, Now Read This Book. (It's About Human Decision Making and Behavioral Economics).

You can follow Guthrie's work on The Team W website or on Instagram @guthrieweinschenk

Get a Certificate

You get an industry-recognized IxDF Certificate after each Master Class you complete. Add it to your LinkedIn profile and résumé to show managers and clients you learned your skills from the best.

An Example of a Certificate for Masterclass Participation

Questions? We've Got Answers

Design skills are valuable for both you personally and for your company.

For you personally, design skills are important because:

Design roles are growing faster than average. The World Economic Forum ranks human-centered design among the fastest-growing skill areas through 2030.
Employers increasingly expect design skills across roles, not just from designers. Knowing design thinking, user research, or UX principles makes you more competitive in any field.
Designers who combine human-centered skills with AI expertise are in especially high demand.

For your company, design skills are important because:

Design skills help your team increase sales, retain customers, and improve customer satisfaction. Better customer experiences lead directly to better business results.
Companies that invest in design outperform the S&P 500 Index by 228% (Design Management Institute, Design Value Index).
Design is more than aesthetics. It's how teams make products easier to use, services more efficient, and technology more human. These skills create value across every department.

Design and tech skills can open up career opportunities.

For example, if you're in a field such as:

Marketing, communication, HR, software development, customer service, business management, healthcare, teaching, and many more.

Why can design skills make you valuable in these jobs and industries?

That's because:

Design skills help your team increase sales, retain customers, and improve customer satisfaction. Better customer experiences lead directly to better business results.
Companies that invest in design outperform the S&P 500 Index by 228% (Design Management Institute, Design Value Index).
Design is more than aesthetics. It's how teams make products easier to use, services more efficient, and technology more human. These skills create value across every department.

No.

Our courses, master classes, and career programs cover everything from the fundamentals to advanced topics.

Whether you're completely new to design or an experienced professional, you'll find courses, master classes and career programs at your level.

Yes.

After you finish, you'll receive an industry-recognized IxDF Certificate to prove you've completed an evidence-based curriculum taught by industry leaders.

Add IxDF Certificates to your LinkedIn profile, resumé and job application in a few easy steps.

You can download your certificates as .jpg files, so they are easy to share. Certificates are always valid.

That's easy.

Add your IxDF Certificates to your LinkedIn profile, resumé and job application in a few easy steps:

Click “Add profile section” on your LinkedIn
Tap “Recommended”
Select “Add licenses or certifications”
Enter your IxDF Certificate details
Hit “Save”

You can download your IxDF Certificates as .jpg files, so they are easy to share. IxDF Certificates are always valid.

Need more detailed instructions?

We can help you in several ways.

Join meetups in your city: Join the regular meetups in your city in a nearby cafe or office building to have fun and learn with people just like you. You get full access to IxDF Local Groups where you can build your network, find new opportunities, or simply enjoy yourself in the company of people who are passionate about design. The meetings are completely optional and are spread across app. 500 cities worldwide.

You can also get instant help and career advice in the IxDF online members-only forums. Here, you can build your global network through our supportive community.

Wonderful! When you sign up for a Master Class, you'll receive an email from us with a link to join the live Master Class.

If you can't find the email, please reach out to [email protected], and we're super happy to help you!

Great news! You'll also get an on-demand version of your Master Class a few hours after the live event ends.

A few days later, the on-demand Master Class will also show up on your private profile page if you're a member.

That way, you can view the Master Class on-demand at any time. As many times as you wish.

Absolutely!

When you sign up for a live Master Class, you'll automatically receive the link to the recording a few hours after the live event ends.

A few days later, the on-demand Master Class will show up on your private profile page if you're an IxDF member. If you're not a member, you'll receive your recording by email.

You can enjoy your Master Class on-demand at any time, anywhere. Watch it as many times as you want.

Great news! We've got you covered.

When you sign up for the live Master Class, you'll automatically receive the link to the recording a few hours after the live event ends.

A few days later, the on-demand Master Class will show up on your private profile page if you're an IxDF member. If you're not a member, you'll receive your recording by email.

You can enjoy your Master Class on-demand at any time, anywhere. Watch it as many times as you want.

We'd love to hear from you and help you!

Reach out to us at [email protected] or use the online contact form.

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