# Mental Model Toolkit

> Use when someone is stuck on a problem and needs a different frame entirely, suspects they have blind spots, or has exhausted obvious solutions. Three instruments: choose the right mental model, systematically surface unknown unknowns, and break...

- Skill: `newkayak12/mental-model-toolkit` (Agent Skill, multi-file: 3 files)
- Install (CLI): `npx skillmds@latest add newkayak12/mental-model-toolkit`
- Raw SKILL.md: https://api.skillmd.com/api/skills/newkayak12/mental-model-toolkit/raw
- Safety review: pending
- Works with: Claude Code, Claude.ai, OpenAI Codex
- Category: AI & ML
- Author: newkayak12 (https://skillmd.com/u/newkayak12)
- Updated: 2026-09-21
- Page: https://skillmd.com/skills/newkayak12/mental-model-toolkit

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# Mental Model Toolkit

## When to Use / When Not to Use

**Use when:**
- All obvious solutions have been tried and the problem persists
- A plan is being finalized and needs stress-testing for hidden risks
- A fresh frame would unlock options not visible from the current angle

**Not for:**
- Mapping downstream consequences (use second-order-thinker)
- Auditing specific assumptions (use assumption-extractor)

## Process

**Diagnose which instrument fits before applying:**

| Situation | Instrument |
|-----------|-----------|
| Standard problem, want rigorous framing | Mental model library |
| Confident in plan, want stress-test | Unknown unknowns mapper |
| Stuck, obvious solutions tried | Lateral thinking prompter |
| Surprised by outcome, diagnosing cause | Map vs territory + perspective grid |

---

### Instrument 1 — Mental Model Library

Key models: First Principles Thinking, Inversion, Map vs Territory, Occam's Razor, Second-Order Thinking, Pareto (80/20), Regret Minimization, Chesterton's Fence.

Full catalog: see `references/mental-models-catalog.md`

Apply the model that fits the problem — not the one you already know best. Use the model to actually derive something, not as decoration.

---

### Instrument 2 — Unknown Unknowns Mapper

You cannot observe blind spots directly. Create conditions where they become visible.

- **Pre-mortem:** Imagine it's 12 months out and this failed spectacularly. What happened? Generate 5+ failure modes.
- **Red teaming:** Argue the case against the plan without defending it.
- **Outsider perspective:** Explain to someone unfamiliar — their confusion points to unexamined assumptions.
- **Assumption audit:** List every assumption; rate confidence (0–100%) and impact if wrong.
- **Perspective expansion:** Inhabit each viewpoint (user, skeptic, future self, opposite worldview, most harmed).

---

### Instrument 3 — Lateral Thinking Prompter

Techniques: Random Entry, Provocation (Po), Reversal, Analogical Thinking, Constraint Removal.

Full reference: see `references/lateral-thinking-techniques.md`

**MCP note:** If `mcp-reasoner` is available, use it here — lateral thinking requires multi-path exploration before selecting the best creative approach.

## Output Template

1. **Diagnosis** — which instrument fits and why
2. **Application** — work through the chosen technique with the specific problem
3. **Outputs** — new frames, blind spots surfaced, lateral options generated
4. **Most valuable insight** — what was not visible before this analysis
5. **Next move** — one concrete action this unlocks

## What Claude Does / What You Do

| Claude | You |
|--------|-----|
| Selects the right instrument based on the problem type | Provide the stuck problem or plan |
| Applies techniques to your specific situation (not abstractly) | Confirm whether the new frame resonates |
| Names blind spots and new perspectives explicitly | Decide which insight changes how you act |
| Generates lateral options as starting points for evaluation | Evaluate and build on those options |

## Related Skills

- `second-order-thinker` — for consequence chains once a new frame is chosen
- `assumption-extractor` — for systematic assumption auditing
- `tradeoff-articulator` — for mapping costs when multiple options emerge