The Z Model
The Z Model of decision making has been used for many years within the Psychological Type coaching and facilitation fields. The Z Model forces us to consider questions from many angles and through that process, make balanced and well-informed decisions.
This has an obvious application to style and situations where we need to make decisions based on trusted information – shopping and outfit creation are two obvious style applications for the Z Model.
Often in these style situations we too often consider only a fraction of the information we need to make truly informed and trusted decisions. As a result, our shopping is often fraught with difficulty, our outfit creation is convoluted and frustrating… and our results in both style spheres are often less than what we want.
The reason this is called the Z Model is because of the shape made which connects the four quadrants. The four pointy parts of the letter Z indicate the four quadrants for us to explore when taking in trusted information we then use to make a balanced and good decision.
We have defined the Z Model for Shopping, and also the Z Model for Outfit Creation.
Sensing – Gather Data
Introverted Sensing (Si) – What does this remind you of? Recall your wardrobe – how does this new item fit with existing pieces? What are your past experiences with similar pieces?
Extraverted Sensing (Se) – How does the item feel to the touch? What does it look like? What happens when you sit, squat, bend over, move, view it from all angles? Are there any other sensory data (smell, sound, even taste) associated with this piece?
Thinking – Logical Assessment
Introverted Thinking (Ti) – What category does this new item fit into? What’s wrong with this piece? Rank this item on your analytical criteria— costs, fit, frequency of wear, etc.
Extraverted Thinking (Te) – What else can you wear it with? Where will you wear it? How does it fit with your routines for care, wardrobing and storage, travel, etc?
Shopping Using the Z Model
iNtution – Harvest Ideas
Introverted iNtuition (Ni) – How does this piece gel with your inner vision (of your wardrobe in total or for this particular piece)? What do you “just know” about this new piece? What themes and connections does this piece bring to mind?
Extraverted iNtuition (Ne) – What possibilities does this item conjure up? What options and ideas pop from this new item? What interesting ways might you use it?
Feeling – Subjective Impact
Introverted Feeling (Fi) – Does this piece fit with your values? Is it a significant piece, in some personally meaningful way for you? Do you feel authentic when you try it on?
Extraverted Feeling (Fe) – What do you like or love about this new piece? How will this new piece add to your sense of wardrobe harmony? How might it affect how others relate to you or your approachability?
Sensing – Gather Data
Introverted Sensing (Si) – In past similar situations, what have you worn that worked? What elements from past successful ensembles can you draw on here? Where might you look for a tried-and-true solution?
Extraverted Sensing (Se) – How does this look when you put this and this together? Do these textures-patterns-colors go together? How does this feel on your body, especially when you move, wiggle, sit, bend over?
Thinking – Logical Assessment
Introverted Thinking (Ti) – What don’t you feel like wearing today? What specific outfit criteria are important for your activities today—weather, level of formality or refinement, comfort, etc?
Extraverted Thinking (Te) – Can you make your outfit easily adaptable to different events during your day? How will it affect your ability to get things done? What problems can you anticipate and solve in advance?
Creating Outfits Using the Z Model
iNtution – Harvest Ideas
Introverted iNtuition (Ni) – What pieces fit your mood as well as the roles you need to play today? How will this help you claim your uniqueness? Do you wish to add an element that reminds you of your message/value/purpose?
Extraverted iNtuition (Ne) – What brand new outfits can you create today? What if you started with “purple” or “Queen Bee” as your inspiration point – where might that take you? What have you never paired together that just might work?
Feeling – Subjective Impact
Introverted Feeling (Fi) – Does this outfit jibe with your sense of who you are? Do you feel like your authentic self in this ensemble? If you’re headed to unusual environments for you, might anything you’re wearing unintentionally clash with values there?
Extraverted Feeling (Fe) – What do you like or love about this outfit? Will this ensemble foster the right connections (to your day, to your audiences, to your outcomes)? How will others respond?
Using The Z Model
No matter what style sphere it is applied to, the recommendation for how you use the Z Model remains the same:
First and Foremost: Use your preferred functions
- On the Z Model pages in the Module PDF (pages 78 and 79), highlight your Leading and Supporting functions
- Use the questions from your Leading and Supporting functions as your main guide in whatever style sphere you are using it in – shopping or outfit creation
- Toggle between the two sets of questions to get the balance you need between taking in information (Perceiving) and making trusted decisions (Judging)
Balance and Augment: Use your non-preferred functions selectively
- On the Z Model pages, choose a few questions from your non-preferred functions to act as counter-balances to your preferred ways. These are the questions you never or rarely remember to ask yourself, or you ask when it’s “too late”
- Hand-pick some questions from your non-preferred functions that are most relevant to you in your style journey and awareness right now. Note: these might change over time – what you need to counter-balance style decisions now may change in the future
- Remember that these are the non-natural questions for you — that’s why they are non-preferred in Type terms — but they can inform your style in important ways
You do not need to use every single question in every single quadrant in the Z Model. Apart from being inordinately time and energy consuming it simply is not necessary to cover off ALL areas of the Z Model to successfully shop and create great outfits.
It’s time to Explore the Z Model
Open you Module 10 PDF to page 81 and start applying this new way of thinking about your leading and supporting functions to the explorations!
