Problem Framing: Use an Influence Diagram
- JD Solomon
- 1 hour ago
- 2 min read
Every spreadsheet model is a claim about how the world works, whether anyone says so out loud or not. And an influence diagram is a ‘good’ practice. So if you have it, use it as a starting point for the problem frame. If you don’t have one, generate one with the team. A hand-built diagram keeps everyone in the same place looking at the same lines, instead of each person interpreting a polished chart on their own.
An Influence Diagram is a Frame
An influence diagram is a simple schematic showing how inputs and outputs relate to each other, built from the output backward. Link the input variables that directly affect the outcome, then link the variables that feed those inputs. Each input variable appears only once, which forces the team to work out what depends on what, and whether something is missing.
One example come from a risk model. There, the team spent twenty minutes debating whether weather belonged as an input before realizing the real disagreement was about which failure mode weather actually drove. That discussion was worth having to get the frame right.
Facilitating It
I normally start by drawing part of the influence diagram at a whiteboard. I then let the team develop it fully, one variable at a time. Eyes glaze over the moment a diagram fills up with boxes and arrows, so keep the group building it together rather than presenting a finished version. Anticipate a lot of argumentative discussion.
When someone on the team says, “that is not in the model,” what they usually mean is, “that is not in the problem frame.”
Treat something as not being in the model as synonymous with not being in the problem frame.
The Tip
The tip is to use an influence diagram to frame the problem, especially when you already have a model.
The F in FINESSE stands for Frame, and the influence diagram is one of four techniques worth keeping ready.
JD Solomon champions practical communication skills that help technical professionals convey complex ideas clearly and confidently. Learn more at www.jdsolomonsolutions.com and www.communicatingwithfinesse.com.
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