The Mental Model Database: Externalizing How You Think About Your Business

Beyond Data: Mental Models

Most knowledge management stores data:

• Customer list
• Feature specs
• Meeting notes

But the real value isn't the data. It's how you think about the data.

• How do you segment customers?
• What makes a feature strategic vs tactical?
• How do you evaluate opportunities?

These are mental models: the frameworks in your head that turn raw data into decisions. And they're not written down.

The Problem With Unexternalized Mental Models

When mental models live only in your head:

1. AI can't access them: You know why Customer A is strategic. Your AI doesn't. So AI treats Customer A like everyone else.
2. They're inconsistent: On Monday you think about customers one way. On Friday, slightly differently. The framework drifts.
3. They don't transfer: When you hire, onboard, or collaborate, you spend weeks transferring mental models verbally.
4. They decay: Without reinforcement, even your own mental models blur over time.

What Mental Models Look Like Externalized

Example 1: Market Map

Your internal model: "We compete differently in three segments. Enterprise is about security, Mid-market about integrations, SMB about price."

Externalized:

Template: Competitive Positioning
├── Segment (reference → Customer Segments)
├── Primary Buying Factor (text)
├── Our Advantage (textarea)
├── Competitors Strong Here (reference)
├── Our Weakness (textarea)
└── Strategic Implication (textarea)

Entries:
├── Enterprise: Security, compliance...
├── Mid-Market: Integration breadth...
└── SMB: Price, starter tier...

Now AI knows how you think about competition, per segment.

Example 2: Decision Framework

Your internal model: "We prioritize features by segment reach × strategic alignment × effort."

Externalized:

Template: Feature Evaluation
├── Feature (reference → Features)
├── Segment Reach (number) - 1-5
├── Strategic Alignment (number) - 1-5
├── Effort Estimate (select: S, M, L)
├── Priority Score (number)
└── Decision Notes (textarea)

Now AI can apply your framework to new features.

The AI Reasoning Upgrade

The AI reasons using your mental models, not generic assumptions.

Templates for Common Mental Models

Strategic Priorities

How you rank what matters.

├── Priority Name
├── Time Horizon (Q, H1, Year, Long-term)
├── Success Metrics
├── Dependencies
└── Current Status

Customer Segments

How you categorize customers.

├── Segment Name
├── Defining Characteristics
├── Our Value Prop to Them
├── Key Pain Points
└── Example Customers

Risk Assessment

How you evaluate concerns.

├── Risk Category
├── Description
├── Likelihood (1-5)
├── Impact (1-5)
├── Mitigations
└── Owner

The Externalization Process

1. Identify Hidden Models: Notice when you make decisions that aren't obvious to others. "Of course we prioritize X over Y" leads to the question: What's the model behind "of course"?
2. Name the Model: "Customer Health Model." "Feature Prioritization Framework."
3. List the Inputs: What information does this model use?
4. Define the Logic: How do inputs combine to produce outputs?
5. Create the Template: Build a schema that captures the model's structure.
6. Populate with Examples: Add 5-10 entries so AI can see the pattern.
7. Test with AI: Ask AI questions that require using the model. Refine until it reasons correctly.

The Transfer Effect

Externalized mental models transfer instantly:

• New hire: "Read the Customer Health template. That's how we think about retention."
• New AI tool: Connect to same knowledge base. Same mental models available.
• Future you: Your thinking is preserved. Pick up where you left off.
• Collaborators: Shared models = shared understanding = faster alignment.

Start With One

Don't externalize everything at once.

Pick the mental model you use most often. The one you explain frequently. The one that drives key decisions.

Externalize that one. See the difference. Then do another.

In six months, your entire decision-making framework is captured, queryable, and AI-accessible.

That's not a notes app. That's an externalized mind.