Curious if any of you use anything like this, if you have any methods for thinking through ideas, finding blindspots, figuring out what to work on, what to improve, review projects/yourself etc.
Are there any particular techniques you like to use, questions you like to ask, mental models you use, journaling techniques etc
This version is a few months out of date, but in case it's helpful:
This is used with each new interest or mental model which seems to merit its own separate file. Additionally I have a bunch of snippets in my editor that help me frame out my ideas, theories, or problems in various ways, creating additional structures within this templated structure.
Prior to this over the last 20 years I mostly used Mind Maps, like with Mind Maple, Free plane, FreeMind, Simple Mind, some other concept mapping tools, Inkscape, LO Draw, etc. Plus hierarchical systems like NoteCase Pro for some years.
I still use some of them from time to time but this is now my main.
One of my biggest/favorite discoveries with mental models is that attaching a working log to them is one of the smartest things you can do. And one of the best things you can write in your log is "this isn't going anywhere and I don't like it." I also keep logs on paper with home frameworks I keep in a binder, like what to do in power outages.