Mental model interface design: putting users in control of home heating

ABSTRACT

Occupant behaviour is a key variable affecting the amount of energy used in homes. The understanding, interface and interaction with heating controls hold the potential to influence how heating is operated and, in turn, how much energy is consumed. A study is presented to test a series of hypotheses that the design of the home-heating interface can positively influence the achievement of home-heating goals, if it is specifically designed to communicate a user mental model (UMM) of how the system functions. This would encourage appropriate inhabitant behaviour. The experiment involved 20 pairs of participants matched by age, gender and home-heating experience. The participants were asked to attain a series of home-heating goals using an accelerated home-heating simulator. The impact of specific design features of a novel interface design was compared with an interface offering a traditional home-heating system experience. The evidence confirms that design features contributed to differences in UMMs, intentional behaviour and goal achievement. A mental model approach to design can be used as a means of putting users ‘in control’ of their heating system to enable them to fulfil their home-heating goals better.

KEYWORDS:

• behaviour change
• design
• energy
• energy conservation
• feedback
• mental models
• occupants
• space heating

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC) [grant number EP/I000143/1].