---
id: essifLab-pattern-list
title: "eSSIF-Lab Ways of Thinking"
sidebar_label: Mental Models
---

:::note Editor's note
TNO to write the introduction paragraph
Remainder of file to be generated (GRNET plugin/extension) - currently, the file is maintained 'by hand'
:::

Within eSSIF-Lab, we maintain a set of %%mental models|mental-model%%, i.e. casual and formal descriptions (patterns) of %%concepts|concept%%, relations between them, and constraints, that provide a specific 'viewpoint', or 'way of thinking' about a certain topic. 

:::info Editor's note
While some of the topics listed below are pretty much done, others are still need more work.
:::

We currently have models for the following topics:

- [Guardianship relationships](./terms/pattern-guardianship): The Guardianships pattern captures the Concepts and relations that explain what a generic Guardianship consists of, and how it relates to Guardians, Dependents, Jurisdictions, etc.

- [Jurisdictions](./terms/pattern-jurisdiction): The Jurisdictions pattern captures the Concepts and relations that explain what a generic Jurisdiction consists of, and relates it to Parties and Legal Entities.

- [Mandates, Delegation and Hiring](./terms/pattern-mandates-delegation-hiring): The Mandates, Delegation and Hiring pattern (which remains to be documented) captures the ideas behind Mandating, Delegating, Hiring and their relations. This is a work-in-progress.

- [Parties, Actors and Actions](./terms/pattern-party-actor-action): The Parties, Actors and Actions pattern captures the foundational concepts and relations that we need for thinking about how things get done. It answers questions such as: 'Who/what does things?', 'How are their actions being guided/controlled?', 'Who controls whom/what?', 'Who/what may be held accountable?'.

- [Terminology:](./terms/pattern-terminology): The eSSIF-Lab Terminology Pattern describes the relations between Terminology Terms such as 'Concept', 'Term', 'Pattern', 'Mental Model', 'Glossary' etc.