Indi Young Mental Model Mapping

Apply an Indi Young mental model mapping routine to translate qualitative research into clear design strategy. Isolate user task statements, cluster them into behavioral towers, and reveal feature gaps.

4 time blocks, 70 minutes in total.

Time blocks

Extract Verb Noun Task Statements: 15 min
Isolate core intent statements from qualitative interview notes
Cluster Statements into Towers: 20 min
Group similar user actions into bottom up affinity towers
Arrange Towers into Cognitive Spaces: 15 min
Group related towers under broad mental spaces
Align Features and Identify Gaps: 20 min
Place product features below user towers to reveal unsupported needs

About this routine

Indi Young developed mental model diagramming as a way to separate human reasoning from product features. Unlike traditional journey maps that follow a linear timeline, this approach focuses on deep user intents and mental spaces. Following an Indi Young mental model mapping routine helps teams design around actual human behavior rather than internal org charts.

The process begins by sifting through qualitative research transcripts to pull out explicit task statements formatted as verbs and nouns. These statements are clustered into bottom up affinity groups called towers, which are then arranged into broader cognitive spaces. Once the user side of the diagram is built, existing features and tools are mapped underneath each tower.

By visually separating user intent at the top from organizational capabilities at the bottom, gaps in product strategy immediately become visible. Empty space under a tower highlights an unmet user need, while clusters of features with no user tower above them point to unnecessary technical effort.

Why this routine works

Separates user reasoning from internal organizational features
Identifies unaddressed user needs directly from qualitative data
Prevents product teams from building features that lack user motivation

FAQ

What is an Indi Young mental model diagram?

It is a visual synthesis tool that stacks user goals into affinity towers on top and aligns product features beneath them to spot strategy gaps.

How does mental model diagramming differ from journey mapping?

Journey maps focus on linear chronological steps over time, while mental model diagrams focus on non linear user motivations and cognitive spaces.

Sources

Mental Models: Aligning Design Strategy with Human Behavior, Indi Young