Mental model mapping checklist: before, during, and after research

This checklist covers the full mental model mapping process from preparation through final delivery. Use it to track progress and make sure no step is skipped — the method’s value depends on completing both the top half (user’s thinking) and the bottom half (product alignment) of the diagram.

Before the research

• Define the behavioral domain in one clear sentence (not a product, not a feature — a domain of life or work)
• Identify 2-4 audience segments whose thinking about this domain might differ
• Write a screening questionnaire that filters for behavioral diversity, not demographics
• Recruit 15-20 participants distributed across segments
• Prepare the opening question for listening sessions (one broad, open-ended question about the domain)
• Set up recording and transcription tools
• Create a behavior coding template (spreadsheet or Miro board with columns: behavior phrase, type, participant ID, tower, mental space)

During the research

• Conduct each listening session for 60-90 minutes
• Let the participant lead — resist steering toward product topics
• Ask deepening questions: “tell me more,” “what were you thinking then?”, “why did you do it that way?”
• Record and transcribe every session
• After each session, write a brief summary of the participant’s overall approach to the domain
• Review transcripts within 48 hours while the conversation is fresh

After the research

• Comb each transcript for behaviors: tasks, philosophies, and feelings
• Write each behavior as a short present-tense phrase in the participant’s language
• Group behaviors into towers (5-15 behaviors per tower, narrow and specific)
• Organize towers into mental spaces (broader thematic areas)
• Build the top half of the diagram: mental spaces with their towers
• Inventory all existing product features, content, and services
• Map features beneath the towers they support (bottom half of the diagram)
• Identify gaps (towers with no features), overlaps (multiple features per tower), and misalignments (features that map to no tower)
• Prioritize opportunities based on tower height, segment impact, and strategic fit
• Write findings report with verbatim quotes as evidence
• Present the diagram and recommendations to stakeholders
• Store the diagram as a living reference artifact for roadmap and content strategy decisions