Information study

Choose a specific web/information service you use regularly (e.g. Amazon two-day shipping, mobile phone networks, TikTok recommendations, or propose your own to us). In a 400-600 word essay, address the following:

First, describe and draw your own mental model for how you understand how this system works, starting with your initial point of contact during a typical interaction (e.g. the search bar in Amazon, dialing a number or opening an app on your mobile phone, your initial login screen on TikTok, etc.). 

Also (briefly) reflect on the origins of your mental model–that is, how you figured out what you know/believe about the system’s functionality–and how “typical” you think your mental model is compared to the general population. While this is a more reflexive and speculative exercise, please bring in concrete examples whenever possible.

Finally, analyze the design affordances, disaffordances, and dysaffordances you observe in the system. Please be concrete, providing screenshots or other specifics when possible .