Mental models for designers (2019)
I really enjoyed the article and find several of the models quite useful.However, I think the Diamond model can be over-used. It’s often the right model when you need to explore a topic or persuade a group to your vision or line of thinking. It’s perhaps not the best model for effective decision-making though. When the time comes to make a crisp decision, I want to see the recommendation framed up in the first section. If I’m reading a recommendation that we implement policy X, I want to know in the first paragraph (or two, max) that’s what this document is about, what the author’s recommendation is, and then see why and what alternatives where explored. I specifically do not want to read any story about the history, the existential problem, or why we need this policy before I know the recommendation. All that material that may have been important at kickoff is now relegated to supporting points in the middle, to an appendix, or removed entirely.I read way too many “we need a decision here” documents that flow like murder mysteries.Bottom Line Up Front for some topics, please.