> One of the most common UX mistakes is designing UI around the underlying data model instead of user goals.

It's far worse to give users a false mental model of the system. If the underlying system is complex, but that's out of your control, then it will create confusion and frustration in users to paper over it. Please don't do this!

That is, unless you can create a nearly leak-free abstraction. The example given in the article is anything but leak-free.

(This kind of design error reminds me of the skeuomorphism debate nearly a decade ago. Leaky abstractions and false affordances both give users an incorrect mental model of the system.)