An influence diagram showcases the effect of potential decisions on different elements of your project or problem. This decision analysis includes a series of nodes that represent functions, uncertainties, and values that influence your decision, with connective lines showing the interconnected relationships.

As you brainstorm, you can rely on an influence chart example that captures the full scope of your decision to help predict outcomes, mitigate risks, reduce uncertainty, and manifest intended results.

Influence diagrams and decision trees are two useful decision-making diagrams, each with their own pros and cons.

Decision trees depict each possible outcome of a decision, followed by the possible outcomes of each of those decisions, followed by… well, you get the idea. Each tree fork on a decision tree represents a diverging pathway, which can help you choose the best branch to follow.

A compact influence chart example, on the other hand, displays converging paths that depict how each part is influenced by every other part. This provides a big picture overview that accounts for the dependencies between factors, and is often considered a more concise summation compared to detail-intensive decision trees.

A simple influence diagram can be used for just about anything. In the workplace, you might use an influence diagram to weigh the pros and cons of extending a project. Your diagram can help you deduce how schedule changes might impact everything from budgeting and resource allocation to KPIs and department milestones.

Applied to a system, you’ll be able to envision the cascading influence of altered parts. And if you struggle with personal decision-making, an example influence chart might just convince you to post that selfie or launch that business.