Mental models are the shortcuts we all use to navigate the world. The better you understand them, the better you can design for them. Good design isn’t just pixels and interactions. It’s about how people think, decide, and act. The best UX isn’t just beautiful it’s aligned with how humans really think.
16 Mental Models for UX Strategists
1. First Principles – Break problems into fundamentals.
2. Map ≠ Territory – People act on perception, not reality.
3. Inversion – Avoid failure by reversing the problem.
4. Diminishing Returns – More effort ≠ more impact.
5. Second-Order Thinking – Plan for ripple effects.
6. Pareto (80/20) – A few features drive most value.
7. Confirmation Bias – People seek what they believe.
8. Parkinson’s Law – Work expands to fill time.
9. Lindy Effect – Longevity predicts longevity.
10. Occam’s Razor – Simplest answer often wins.
11. Hanlon’s Razor – Confusion beats malice.
12. Hick’s Law – More choices slow decisions.
13. Survivorship Bias – Success hides failures.
14. Sunk Cost Fallacy – Stop investing in losses.
15. Regret Minimisation – Design for no-regret choices.
16. False Consensus – Users don’t think like you.
