Applying Mental Models to Building Digital Products

Overview
This article explores how technical leaders can use mental models to make better decisions when building digital products. It explains the value of mental models and provides practical examples for product managers and engineers.

Key Takeaways

• Mental models simplify complex problems and improve communication.
• Common mental models such as first principles, inversion, and second-order thinking can be applied to product development.
• Using mental models helps teams align on strategy and avoid cognitive biases.

Who Would Benefit

• Engineering managers and technical leads.
• Product managers and designers.
• Software architects and senior engineers.

Frameworks and Methodologies

• First Principles Thinking
• Inversion
• Second-order Thinking