I use tools like a persistence layer for my thoughts. I can "think in words" but my brain defaults to "thinking in pictures" mode. When I think about a database schema I automatically visualize the tables and the connections between columns in a way similar to how most of these tools visualize the schema. My usage of these tools is more or less of me replicating what I see in my mind as a "save state" that I can resume in a day, month, or year.