Mental Models for Health: Examples

Case Studies in Innovation and Design for Health and Social Impact

Welcome to the Design Loft.

In our last issue, we looked at Mental Models and how they fit with culture change.

As a special for paid subscribers, I’ve prepared six different case examples drawn from the literature on how mental models have been used within the health system and in social impact.

The recommendations that come from those case studies are shared below.

Practical Recommendations for Healthcare Leaders

If you review the case studies, you’ll see themes and find that healthcare leaders should consider the following in using and dealing with mental models:

1. Make Mental Models Explicit: Use structured elicitation methods (interviews, concept mapping, card sorting) to surface stakeholders’ existing mental models before designing interventions

2. Design for Alignment: Create “boundary objects” (visual models, prototypes, shared language) that help diverse stakeholders develop shared mental models

3. Use Systems Thinking Tools: Apply causal loop diagrams to reveal feedback loops and unintended consequences in complex chronic disease systems

4. Incorporate Patient Illness Representations: Design self-management programs that explicitly address the five dimensions of illness representation rather than assuming patients share clinical mental models

5. Iterate Based on Mental Model Mismatches: When implementation fails, investigate whether it’s due to mental model discrepancies rather than lack of resources or motivation

6. Apply Design Thinking: Use human-centred design processes that prioritize understanding stakeholders’ conceptual frameworks before jumping to solutions

Thanks for reading. Enjoy the case studies