Summary
Every interactive product, including every Web application, has a conceptual model at the root of its interface. It is simply impossible not to have one. Unfortunately, few design and development teams acknowledge the critical role it plays and, therefore, fail to fully explore and utilize its potential.
As the first layer of the interface, conceptual models not only have the most impact on usability, but also are the most difficult aspect of the interface to change. Therefore, a failure to identify and select an appropriate conceptual model puts the entire product at risk by placing the interface on a foundation that’s shaky and costly to repair.
Fortunately, once the importance and influence of the conceptual model has been established, ...
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