pattern set
Mental Model Calibration
Align Internal Maps
Making internal models visible, comparing them, and refining them against reality.
Practice Area > Knowledge Structures
Create Shapes That Generate Insight
Design methods that shape how knowledge is structured so people can find it, understand it, and use it in real work.
Related Pattern Sets
Explore related knowledge structures salons that help you create shapes that generate insight.
pattern set
Ontology-Centered Practice
Shape Shared Meaning
Designing shared concepts, relationships, and boundaries so knowledge can flow.
Understand Knowledge Structures
Design Knowledge Structures
Knowledge structures define how ideas are named, related, and made usable.
They are not just categories or taxonomies; they are the scaffolding that makes understanding possible across people and systems.
This practice area focuses on:
- making relationships between concepts explicit,
- aligning how people understand the system,
- and designing structures that support reuse and continuity.
When knowledge is well-structured, people can:
- navigate complexity
- communicate clearly
- build on each other’s thinking
“When a knowledge structure is so flexible that it can be applied effectively even in new domains or extremely novel situations, it is called “far transfer".”
“Learning to see the structures within which we operate begins a process of freeing ourselves from previously unseen.”
“If you only focus on the technical side, then you won't get anywhere. Because every technical decision that you make will have social implications or consequences.”
Companions
Resources and Experts
Books, talks, and people that deepen the concept and widen the conversation.
Ontology Development 101
Natalya Noy
Ontologies make domain meaning explicit so people and systems can share concepts consistently. Ontology Development 101 introduces practical steps for defining classes, relationships, properties, and instances in a usable knowledge model.
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Collaborative Software Design
Kenny Baas-Schwegler
Good software design requires groups to make domain decisions together. Collaborative Software Design teaches facilitation practices for modeling conversations that surface knowledge, conflict, and shared understanding.
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The Semantic Turn
Klaus Krippendorff
Design is shifting from making objects to shaping meanings. The Semantic Turn argues that people interact with artifacts through interpretation, language, and use rather than through function alone.
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Language
Terms to Know
A few words that help the domain hold together.
Ontology
A structured representation of concepts and relationships that defines shared meaning within a system.
Mental Model
An internal representation of how a system works, used to interpret and act within it.
Concept Map
A visual or structured representation showing relationships between ideas to support understanding.
