Influence Diagram Retrospective

Abstract

Since the invention of Influence diagrams in the mid-1970s, they have become a ubiquitous tool for representing uncertain situations. This single diagram replaced awkward manipulations of decision trees and nature’s trees with a single representation that displays both the sequential and informational structure of decisions. The diagram permits high-level graphic communication, clear assessments and computation in a single graphical system. This retrospective discusses the evolution and application of influence diagrams.