Second-order Thinking - Mental Model

Overview
Second-order thinking is a mental model that encourages you to consider the downstream effects of decisions rather than just the immediate outcome. By pausing and asking "And then what?" you can anticipate unintended consequences and make more strategic choices.

Key Takeaways

• Ask "And then what?" to uncover hidden impacts.
• Evaluate both short-term and long-term effects of actions.
• Use this model to improve decision quality in engineering and product contexts.

Who Would Benefit

• Engineering managers and technical leads.
• Product managers and architects.
• Anyone involved in strategic planning or problem solving.

Frameworks and Methodologies

• Second-order thinking model