In the realm of product development, especially within the innovative landscape of FemTech, understanding the intricacies of women's health mindsets is paramount. 

Mindsets are shaped by experiences, expectations, and decision-making processes, forming one of the foundations to. But how do we take these mental models to make impactful decisions? Let's delve into the essence of mental models for women's health.

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“Mental models include your basic ideas of what something is or how it is supposed to work.”

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Mental models serve as a framework that dictates how individuals perceive, reason, and make decisions, particularly in new situations. Rooted in our past experiences, they act as shortcuts for the brain. In the context of designing for women's health, mental models encompass basic ideas of how health-related products and services should function.

Don’t expect all of those experiences to be positive. We have to take the bad with the good.

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Aligning with user mental models

Designers can use mental models to bridge the gap between existing experiences and the envisioned service or product. This alignment fosters empathy, enhances usability, and ensures that solutions resonate with the target audience.

Crafting design frameworks

Think of your models as crafting a framework. Collaborate closely with multidisciplinary teams of designers, researchers, and developers and peer.The aim is to establish a set of design principles that encapsulate users' needs and expectations. These principles serve as guiding pillars throughout the product development lifecycle, ensuring coherence and user-centricity.

But you have to keep working at them, you can't just let them sit and  get dusty.

Mapping findings and build decision models

Continuous discovery  plays a role in mapping user experiences to mental models. By scrutinizing user interactions and identifying decision points, you can learn how users deal with different experiences. Building decision models enables you to distill complex decision-making processes into simple, actionable insights.

Mental Models vs. Personas: Choosing a Framework

We have personas so surely we don't need mindsets wrong? Sorry to burst your bubble but you really need both. They are just different frameworks. While personas delineate user characteristics and behaviors, mental models delve into the underlying decision-making processes. Understanding the nuances between these frameworks means you can tailor research and design methodologies.

FemTech is buzzing with opportunities to design for good. By understanding and addressing the gaps in women's health experiences, you can foster inclusivity and empowerment for users. From menstrual health tracking to fertility solutions, designing for women's health necessitates a deep understanding of user mental models and decision-making processes.

Unsure where to start?

Nurturing women's health mindsets serves as the cornerstone of effective FemTech solutions. By embracing mental models.If you’re unsure where to start, you can contact Workie Ticket for support with user research - we would recommend our discovery pack!