Table of Contents
What Is Field Mapping?
Field Mapping is the process of identifying knowledge domains outside your industry that you can steal insights from to create differentiated content.
It’s based on a simple truth: If you only read marketing blogs, you’ll sound like every other marketer.
Field Mapping answers:
What fields (psychology, game design, behavioral economics, etc.) have solved problems similar to yours?
What frameworks, mental models, or concepts can you borrow and apply to your domain?
How do you make cross-disciplinary connections that your competitors miss?
Why You Need One
Most content creation follows this pattern:
Read competitor blogs
Read industry thought leaders
Repackage the same 5 ideas everyone else is using
Wonder why your content doesn’t stand out
The problem: You’re stuck in an echo chamber.
The solution: Steal knowledge from fields your competitors aren’t reading.
Example:
Everyone in marketing reads marketing blogs
Almost no one in marketing reads game design theory
But game designers have spent 40 years figuring out motivation, engagement, reward systems, and habit formation
Apply game design principles to content strategy = instant differentiation
How Field Mapping Works
The core concept: Most problems have been solved in adjacent fields. Your job is to find the analogs.
Step 1: Identify Your Core Challenge
What’s the fundamental problem you’re trying to solve with your content?
Generic version: “We need more traffic.”
Specific version: “We need to get senior decision-makers to remember our brand when they have budget, even though they’re not actively looking for solutions right now.”
The more specific your challenge, the easier it is to find analogous fields.
Step 2: Ask “Who Else Solves This Problem?”
Take your specific challenge and ask: What other fields deal with this?
Example: Challenge: “Get people to remember us when they’re not actively shopping”
Fields that solve this:
Consumer psychology (brand recall, memory formation)
Advertising theory (top-of-mind awareness)
Neuroscience (how memory consolidation works)
Entertainment (how shows stay culturally relevant between seasons)
Example: Challenge: “Make complex information easy to understand”
Fields that solve this:
Education theory (pedagogy, scaffolding)
Data visualization (Edward Tufte’s work)
Science communication (how to explain hard concepts to laypeople)
Children’s TV (Sesame Street’s research-backed methods)
Step 3: Identify Specific Concepts to Steal
Once you’ve identified relevant fields, drill into specific frameworks, principles, or mental models.
Example: Stealing from Game Design
Relevant concepts:
The Progression Loop (how games create addictive forward momentum)
Difficulty Curves (balancing challenge and skill to maintain engagement)
Feedback Systems (instant vs delayed rewards)
Onboarding Design (how games teach mechanics without tutorials)
How to apply to content:
Blog series can use progression loops (each post unlocks the next level of understanding)
Educational content needs difficulty curves (too easy = boring, too hard = they bounce)
CTAs are feedback systems (what reward do readers get for taking action?)
Example: Stealing from Behavioral Economics
Relevant concepts:
Loss Aversion (people fear losses more than they value gains)
Anchoring Effect (first number presented influences perception)
Choice Architecture (how options are presented affects decisions)
Mental Accounting (people treat money differently based on psychological categories)
How to apply to content:
Headlines can use loss aversion (“Stop losing deals to competitors” vs “Win more deals”)
Pricing pages can use anchoring (show the expensive option first)
Content structure can use choice architecture (limit options to reduce decision paralysis)
Step 4: Document Your Field Map
Create a simple document with:
Your Core Challenges:
Challenge A (specific)
Challenge B (specific)
Challenge C (specific)
Relevant Fields:
Field 1: [Why it’s relevant]
Field 2: [Why it’s relevant]
Field 3: [Why it’s relevant]
Key Concepts to Steal:
Concept from Field 1 → How to apply
Concept from Field 2 → How to apply
Concept from Field 3 → How to apply
Reading List / Resources:
Books, papers, thinkers, frameworks from each field
How to Find Fields?
Method 1: Problem Analogs
Ask: “Who else deals with [your problem]?”
Retention problem? → Study game design, subscription businesses, habit formation
Attention problem? → Study entertainment, advertising, UX design
Trust problem? → Study sales psychology, relationship theory, social proof research
Method 2: Discipline Hopping
Pick 3-5 fields you’ve always been curious about and explore them with your business lens.
Psychology
Neuroscience
Behavioral economics
Game design
Film/storytelling theory
Architecture
Sports coaching
Military strategy
Teaching/pedagogy
The rule: If it’s interesting to you personally, you’ll actually read it. Forced cross-pollination doesn’t work.
Method 3: Follow Interdisciplinary Thinkers
Find people who already bridge disciplines:
Rory Sutherland (advertising + behavioral economics)
Nir Eyal (psychology + product design)
Daniel Kahneman (psychology + economics)
Jane McGonigal (game design + psychology)
Study how they make connections between fields.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
Mistake 1: Surface-Level Borrowing
Don’t just name-drop concepts. Actually understand them deeply enough to apply them correctly.
Bad: “We use gamification.” (Slapping badges on your product) Good: “We designed our onboarding using Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi’s flow theory—balancing challenge and skill to maintain engagement without overwhelming new users.”
Mistake 2: Forcing Irrelevant Connections
Not every field has insights for every problem. Be honest when a connection is a stretch.
Test: Can you explain the connection in one clear sentence? If not, it’s probably forced.
Mistake 3: Stealing Without Attribution
Give credit. It builds trust and shows you’re well-read.
Bad: “We should create a progression system.” (Sounds like you made it up) Good: “Game designers use progression loops to create forward momentum. We can apply that principle to our content series.” (Shows your sources)
Mistake 4: Only Choosing “Cool” Fields
Yes, game design and neuroscience are interesting. But don’t ignore boring-but-relevant fields.
Example: Insurance actuaries have sophisticated risk modeling frameworks. If your content helps people make decisions under uncertainty, that’s worth studying—even if it’s not sexy.
Example: Capsule Corp’s Field Mapping
Created for: A world-leading technology conglomerate that solves humanity's greatest challenges through brilliant engineering, primarily via its revolutionary "DynoCaps" miniaturization technology. Objective: To identify non-obvious fields of knowledge that can generate unique content angles, impossible for competitors to replicate. Executive Summary Fields Mapped: 3 Total Sources: 30 Strategic Focus: To connect the functional benefit of DynoCaps with the emotional and psychological needs of urban professionals (The West City Professional), while simultaneously building brand authority with foundational science (for The Next-Gen Engineer) and creating a lifestyle movement around intentional living.
FIELD 1: Environmental Psychology
Why this field is valuable for your business: This field provides the scientific language to explain why the physical constraints of city life create emotional pain like stress and anxiety. It allows you to frame DynoCaps not as a gadget, but as an essential tool for well-being, giving users a tangible sense of control over their environment, which is their core emotional goal.
Recommended Sources:
[Format: Blog] - "The Link Between Clutter, Anxiety, and Depression" by Psychology Today
Key Concept: Cognitive Overload from Clutter.
Why it's ideal for Gem #4: A short, highly-readable article that directly links a physical problem (clutter) to an emotional pain point (anxiety), providing an immediate content angle.
Accessibility: Easy
Level: Introductory
Link/Reference: Available on the Psychology Today website.
[Format: Blog] - "Restorative Environments" by The American Psychological Association (APA)
Key Concept: Attention Restoration Theory (ART) - how certain environments can replenish mental resources.
Why it's ideal for Gem #4: Provides a positive framework. Instead of just solving a pain, you can talk about how a simplified, controlled environment actively restores mental energy.
Accessibility: Easy
Level: Intermediate
Link/Reference: Available on APA.org.
[Format: Paper PDF] - "The Impact of Perceived Control over the Physical Environment on Stress and Task Performance" by G.W. Evans & S. Cohen
Key Concept: Locus of Control in Personal Spaces.
Why it's ideal for Gem #4: This paper provides scientific credibility and citable statistics to back up the claim that control over one's space reduces stress. Perfect for authoritative content.
Accessibility: Medium (Requires search on Google Scholar)
Level: Advanced
Link/Reference: Available on Google Scholar.
[Format: Ebook] - "Happy City: Transforming Our Lives Through Urban Design" by Charles Montgomery
Key Concept: The intersection of urban design and human happiness.
Why it's ideal for Gem #4: Chapter 2 on "The Neuro-Urbanism" is highly extractable. It explains how things like commuting and density affect our brains, providing the perfect "problem" context for your "solution."
Accessibility: Medium (Requires purchase)
Level: Intermediate
Link/Reference: Available on Amazon/major ebook retailers.
[Format: Web Article] - "The Case for Finally Cleaning Your Desk" by The Atlantic
Key Concept: The connection between physical organization and mental clarity.
Why it's ideal for Gem #4: It's a relatable, mainstream take on the topic. It's easily translated into listicles or social media posts like "5 Ways Your Messy Car is Draining Your Brain."
Accessibility: Easy
Level: Introductory
Link/Reference: Available on The Atlantic's website.
[Format: Blog] - "What Is Environmental Psychology?" by Verywell Mind
Key Concept: Person-Environment Fit.
Why it's ideal for Gem #4: A foundational article that's perfect for explaining the entire concept to your audience. Can be used to create a cornerstone piece of content defining the philosophy behind your product.
Accessibility: Easy
Level: Introductory
Link/Reference: Available on the Verywell Mind website.
[Format: TED Talk w/ transcript] - "7 ways to make a conversation with anyone" by Malavika Varadan
Key Concept: While not directly about physical space, it discusses breaking down personal barriers, which is analogous to breaking down physical ones.
Why it's ideal for Gem #4: The transcript is scannable for quotes about "creating space" in conversation, which can be cleverly repurposed into metaphors for physical space and freedom.
Accessibility: Easy
Level: Introductory
Link/Reference: Available on TED.com.
[Format: Paper PDF] - "Stress and open-office noise" by J. H. Heerwagen et al.
Key Concept: The negative impact of uncontrollable environmental stimuli.
Why it's ideal for Gem #4: While about noise, the core concept of "uncontrollable stimuli" (like traffic, lack of parking) is directly applicable. It provides scientific language for the professional's daily frustration.
Accessibility: Medium (Requires search on Google Scholar)
Level: Advanced
Link/Reference: Available on Google Scholar.
[Format: Web Article] - "How the Built Environment Affects Our Health" by Center for Active Design
Key Concept: Active Design principles.
Why it's ideal for Gem #4: Full of data and infographics that can be repurposed for social media, showing how smart design choices (like having a portable vehicle) can lead to healthier outcomes.
Accessibility: Easy
Level: Intermediate
Link/Reference: Available on the Center for Active Design website.
[Format: Blog] - "The Psychology of Small Spaces" by Apartment Therapy
Key Concept: Practical design tips for maximizing small living areas.
Why it's ideal for Gem #4: Highly tactical and visual. Perfect for creating content like "Before & After: How one West City Professional reclaimed 50 sq ft with DynoCaps."
Accessibility: Easy
Level: Introductory
Link/Reference: Available on the Apartment Therapy website.
FIELD 2: Theoretical Physics
Why this field is valuable for your business: This is the bedrock of your brand's "Brilliant" and "Visionary" identity. It validates the "magic" of your technology with real science, building immense trust and authority. It directly engages the intellectual curiosity of the Next-Gen Engineer and provides the conceptual framework for the "impossible" solutions required by the Planetary Defender.
Recommended Sources:
[Format: Web Article] - "What Is Spacetime, Really?" by Quanta Magazine
Key Concept: Spacetime as a dynamic, malleable fabric.
Why it's ideal for Gem #4: Quanta excels at using powerful metaphors and high-quality graphics to explain complex topics. Perfect for "explainer" content that makes your audience feel smarter.
Accessibility: Easy
Level: Intermediate
Link/Reference: Available on the Quanta Magazine website.
[Format: Ebook] - "A Brief History of Time" by Stephen Hawking
Key Concept: The nature of space, time, and the universe.
Why it's ideal for Gem #4: It's the most famous popular science book ever written. Citing concepts from it (e.g., Chapter 2 on Space and Time) instantly gives your content a high level of authority and recognition.
Accessibility: Medium (Requires purchase)
Level: Intermediate
Link/Reference: Available on Amazon/major ebook retailers.
[Format: YouTube w/ transcript] - "The Secrets Of Quantum Physics" by Professor Jim Al-Khalili (Spark channel)
Key Concept: Quantum Tunneling & Non-locality.
Why it's ideal for Gem #4: The transcript is a goldmine of extractable quotes and simple analogies for mind-bending concepts. It's perfect for educational content aimed at the Next-Gen Engineer.
Accessibility: Easy
Level: Introductory
Link/Reference: Available on YouTube.
[Format: Blog] - "Starts With A Bang" by Ethan Siegel (Forbes/Big Think)
Key Concept: Explanations of current topics in cosmology and physics.
Why it's ideal for Gem #4: Dr. Siegel writes timely, accessible articles on complex topics. You can piggyback on recent news (e.g., a new telescope image) and connect it back to the principles behind your own tech.
Accessibility: Easy
Level: Intermediate
Link/Reference: Available via Forbes or the Big Think website.
[Format: Web Article] - "Einstein's Theory of General Relativity: A Simplified Explanation" by Space.com
Key Concept: Gravity as the curvature of spacetime.
Why it's ideal for Gem #4: A foundational, well-explained article. It's the perfect source to cite when creating content about your Gravity Machines for the Planetary Defenders or inspiring young engineers.
Accessibility: Easy
Level: Introductory
Link/Reference: Available on Space.com.
[Format: Paper PDF] - "The Feynman Lectures on Physics" (Online Edition)
Key Concept: Foundational principles of physics explained intuitively.
Why it's ideal for Gem #4: While dense, the online version is searchable. You can pull specific, brilliant quotes or simple thought experiments from a Nobel laureate to add unmatched credibility to your educational content.
Accessibility: Easy (Online version is free)
Level: Advanced
Link/Reference: Available at feynmanlectures.caltech.edu.
[Format: TED Talk w/ transcript] - "The fascinating physics of everyday life" by Helen Czerski
Key Concept: Finding complex physics in simple, everyday objects.
Why it's ideal for Gem #4: This talk's entire premise mirrors your brand's: revolutionary science powering everyday convenience. The transcript is great for pulling analogies that make your tech feel more intuitive.
Accessibility: Easy
Level: Introductory
Link/Reference: Available on TED.com.
[Format: Blog] - "What is Quantum Entanglement?" by Caltech Science Exchange
Key Concept: Non-local connection ("spooky action at a distance").
Why it's ideal for Gem #4: Provides a simple, authoritative explanation of a "magical" concept. Perfect for creating content that sparks wonder and curiosity in the Next-Gen Engineer.
Accessibility: Easy
Level: Intermediate
Link/Reference: Available on the Caltech Science Exchange website.
[Format: Web Article] - "Extra Dimensions" by CERN
Key Concept: Theories about dimensions beyond the three we experience.
Why it's ideal for Gem #4: Your core technology (miniaturization) implies manipulating dimensions. This source from CERN provides a credible, albeit theoretical, basis for how that might be possible. It's perfect for thought leadership content.
Accessibility: Easy
Level: Advanced
Link/Reference: Available on the CERN website.
[Format: YouTube w/ transcript] - "Your Body Is A Universe" by Kurzgesagt – In a Nutshell
Key Concept: The mind-boggling scales of size, from atoms to the universe.
Why it's ideal for Gem #4: The visuals and script (available via transcript) are perfect for content about the power of miniaturization. It helps contextualize why shrinking something is such a monumental feat.
Accessibility: Easy
Level: Introductory
Link/Reference: Available on YouTube.
FIELD 3: Minimalism (as a Philosophy)
Why this field is valuable for your business: This field elevates your product from a utility to an ideology. It connects the functional act of "storing things" to the powerful emotional and social goals of the West City Professional: to live a more intentional, less stressful, and more meaningful life. It creates a "why" for your brand that is impossible for a competitor to copy.
Recommended Sources:
[Format: Blog] - "Becoming Minimalist" by Joshua Becker
Key Concept: Rational Minimalism - focusing on the benefits of owning less, not just the act of decluttering.
Why it's ideal for Gem #4: Becker's articles are short, relatable, and focused on practical benefits (e.g., "More Time, More Freedom, Less Stress"). Highly extractable for social media and blog posts.
Accessibility: Easy
Level: Introductory
Link/Reference: Available on the Becoming Minimalist website.
[Format: Blog] - "The Minimalists" by Joshua Fields Millburn & Ryan Nicodemus
Key Concept: Using minimalism as a tool to get rid of life's excess in favor of focusing on what's important.
Why it's ideal for Gem #4: They have hundreds of articles with clear frameworks (e.g., the "90/90 Rule") that can be directly applied to how a user might decide what's "capsule-worthy."
Accessibility: Easy
Level: Introductory
Link/Reference: Available on The Minimalists website.
[Format: Ebook] - "Goodbye, Things: The New Japanese Minimalism" by Fumio Sasaki
Key Concept: The psychological freedom that comes from radical decluttering.
Why it's ideal for Gem #4: This book is full of powerful, emotional quotes about the feeling of being "unburdened." The perspective of a "normal person" makes it very relatable for the West City Professional.
Accessibility: Medium (Requires purchase)
Level: Intermediate
Link/Reference: Available on Amazon/major ebook retailers.
[Format: TED Talk w/ transcript] - "The less you own, the more you have" by Graham Hill
Key Concept: "Life editing" - clearing out the extraneous to make room for the good stuff.
Why it's ideal for Gem #4: A short, punchy talk with a clear and memorable message. The transcript allows for easy extraction of the "Three Rules of Life Editing" for a quick blog post.
Accessibility: Easy
Level: Introductory
Link/Reference: Available on TED.com.
[Format: Web Article] - "Essentialism: The Disciplined Pursuit of Less" (Article Summary) by Blinkist/Shortform
Key Concept: The Paradox of Choice - how fewer options can lead to better outcomes and less stress.
Why it's ideal for Gem #4: A summary is quickly digestible. It connects minimalism not just to physical things, but to time and energy—directly addressing the professional's feeling of being overwhelmed.
Accessibility: Easy
Level: Intermediate
Link/Reference: Available on various book summary websites.
[Format: Newsletter] - "No Sidebar" by Brian Gardner
Key Concept: Designing a simpler life.
Why it's ideal for Gem #4: The articles are short, inspirational, and focused on the "why" behind minimalism. Great for creating thoughtful, philosophical content that builds a community.
Accessibility: Easy
Level: Introductory
Link/Reference: Available on the No Sidebar website.
[Format: Ebook] - "The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up" by Marie Kondo
Key Concept: The "KonMari Method" - keeping only what "sparks joy."
Why it's ideal for Gem #4: It's a cultural phenomenon. You can create content that frames DynoCaps as the ultimate tool for the KonMari method: "After you've decided what sparks joy, what do you do with the rest? You capsule it."
Accessibility: Medium (Requires purchase)
Level: Introductory
Link/Reference: Available on Amazon/major ebook retailers.
[Format: Paper PDF] - "To Have is to Be? The Role of Materialism in Identity and Well-Being" by L. R. Richins
Key Concept: The link between materialism, identity, and life satisfaction.
Why it's ideal for Gem #4: This provides academic backing for the idea that tying identity to possessions can be detrimental. It helps you position your product as a tool for a more experience-based identity, aligning with the "Meta Social" goal of being seen as modern and efficient.
Accessibility: Medium (Requires search on Google Scholar)
Level: Advanced
Link/Reference: Available on Google Scholar.
[Format: Blog] - "Zen Habits" by Leo Babauta
Key Concept: Mindfulness and simplicity in daily routines.
Why it's ideal for Gem #4: Babauta's focus is on small, incremental changes. This is perfect for creating content about how one small product (a DynoCap) can be the first step in a larger journey toward a simpler life.
Accessibility: Easy
Level: Introductory
Link/Reference: Available on the Zen Habits website.
[Format: Web Article] - "The History of Minimalism: From Fine Art to a Way of Life" by The Good Trade
Key Concept: The evolution of minimalism.
Why it's ideal for Gem #4: This provides context and depth. It allows you to create content that positions your brand as part of a larger, important cultural movement, not just a fleeting trend.
Accessibility: Easy
Level: Intermediate
Link/Reference: Available on The Good Trade website.
What’s Next
Once you have your Field Map, you can:
Pull concepts from outside your industry into your content
Create angles your competitors don’t see (because they’re not reading what you’re reading)
Sound smarter and more differentiated (because you’re synthesizing knowledge, not repeating it)
Next steps:
Prompt Stack: Use your Field Map to create specific content angles
Brand Idiolect: Make sure cross-disciplinary references match your voice
How UnGeneric Tools Will Help
Creating a Field Map manually requires:
Hours of research to identify relevant fields
Deep reading to extract applicable concepts
Strategic thinking to make cross-disciplinary connections
Our AI tools will help you identify relevant fields based on your Brand Bible and Stakeholder Map, suggest specific concepts to steal, and show you how to apply them to your content strategy.
The framework is free. The tools to execute it at scale are coming in late 2026.