Glossary

Definitions of every term used on this material.

A

Action / Intervention

A node type for the stepping stones between problems and outcomes: concrete actions, deliberate interventions, and half-way problems. Drawn amber, with the marker [A]. See Action / Intervention.

Anti-pattern

A common way a tree goes wrong. The reference describes three: solution-dumping, the shortcut, and runaway scale. See Solution-dumping.

Arrow

A directional connection between two nodes, pointing from source to target. Every arrow has exactly one head. Its line style shows its relationship. See Arrow styles.

Artifact / Deliverable

A node type for things that exist, should exist, or have been proposed: tools, systems, documents, policies. Artifacts can connect to any kind of node. Drawn indigo, with the marker [D]. See Artifact / Deliverable.

Attacks

A refined relationship: an artifact aims to resolve a specific problem. Drawn as a dotted arrow from the artifact to the problem. See Attacks.

B

Blocked outcomes view

A view of the full tree filtered to one outcome: every node without a path to that outcome is hidden. See Blocked outcomes view.

Blocks / Impedes

A refined relationship: the source prevents the target from being achieved. Drawn as a dashed arrow. See Blocks / Impedes.

Branches

In the tree metaphor, the action / intervention nodes that connect roots to leaves. See Colors and shapes.

C

Causes

See Influences.

Challenge pattern

A facilitation pattern: question a connection that looks too obvious, to find the conditions and hidden causes behind it. See Challenge pattern.

Connect

The fourth step of a session: draw directional arrows between nodes, and color each node as its type becomes clear. See Connect.

Construction

The open mode of building a tree, when any idea goes on the board, in any wording, with any kind of influence. Followed by refinement. See Core principles.

Convergence pattern

A facilitation pattern: look for connections between clusters the group has been treating as separate. See Convergence pattern.

Cycle

Two or more nodes that seem to influence each other in a loop. A cycle is a sign of a hidden cause, not something to draw with special notation. See Cycles and graph shape.

D

Decompose

The sixth step of a session: break the highest-priority nodes into deep-dive sub-trees. Where the handoff from understanding to action begins. See Decompose.

Deep-dive sub-tree

A view that decomposes one node of the full tree into its own tree. The node it comes from is drawn with a double border. See Deep-dive sub-tree.

Defer-to-refinement move

A way to handle disagreement during construction: hear both sides briefly, make a pragmatic call, and promise to revisit it during refinement. See Difficult situations.

Deliverable

See Artifact / Deliverable.

Desired State / Outcome

A node type for a condition the group wants to reach: a goal, a target, or a behavior people want to see. Drawn forest green, with the marker [O]. See Desired State / Outcome.

Dual-anchor seeding

Starting a session from two separate, unconnected lists, problems and outcomes, and discovering everything in between during the session. See Core principles.

E

Evolution pattern

A facilitation pattern for updating a tree: walk the previous version node by node and ask whether each one is still true, changed, or resolved. See Evolution pattern.

F

Flow

The direction a tree grows, from roots toward outcomes: bottom to top, or left to right. Every legend states it. See Orientation.

Frame

A labeled area that groups related nodes, such as a cluster or the parking lot. A reading aid with no meaning of its own. See Runaway scale.

Fruit

In the tree metaphor, the artifact / deliverable nodes: things the tree produces or carries. See Colors and shapes.

Full tree

The primary view: the whole problem space on one canvas. Every other view is derived from it or zooms into it. See Full tree.

G

Group

The third step of a session: cluster related and duplicate nodes without deleting any contribution. See Group.

Group-then-rank

A prioritization technique: group nodes by theme first, then rank the groups instead of voting on individual nodes. See Prioritize.

H

Half-way problem

An intermediate state that is partly a problem and partly progress, such as "Faster laptop setup." A variety of action / intervention. See Action / Intervention.

I

Impedes

See Blocks / Impedes.

Influences

The default relationship: the source has some effect on the target. Drawn as a solid arrow. "Leads to" and "causes" are drawn the same way. See Influences.

Intervention

See Action / Intervention.

L

Leads to

See Influences.

Leaves

In the tree metaphor, the desired state / outcome nodes: what the tree grows toward. See Colors and shapes.

Legend

The key that explains a tree: its node colors, arrow styles, text markers, flow, and context. Every tree has one. See The legend.

Living document

A tree kept in use across planning cycles and updated by removing, adding, and restructuring nodes and arrows, until it has done its job. See A living document.

M

Minimum viable tree

What a diagram needs to count as a Tree of Influence: nodes, directional arrows, a construction process that moves from open contribution toward refinement, and a legend. See Minimum viable tree.

N

Node

One element of the problem space, written on a sticky note or rectangle. Its type comes from its role in the tree, not from its wording. See Colors and shapes.

Node type

The role a node plays: root / problem, action / intervention, desired state / outcome, or artifact / deliverable. Shown by color. See Colors and shapes.

O

Orientation

Which way a tree is drawn: vertical, with roots at the bottom, or horizontal, with roots on the left. See Orientation.

Origin pattern

A facilitation pattern: start from a single anchor node and expand outward from it. See Origin pattern.

Outcome

See Desired State / Outcome.

P

Parking lot

An area of the board for nodes that do not fit yet, such as solutions or out-of-scope ideas. Nodes are parked, not deleted, and can return to the tree later. See Group.

Pre-seeding

Placing known problems, outcomes, and work in progress on the board before a session, as hypotheses for the group to react to. See Prepare.

Prepare

The first step of a session, done by the facilitator beforehand: set up the board, the legend, and the parking lot, and pre-seed the board. See Prepare.

Prioritization pattern

A facilitation pattern: read voting results together with the group and discuss the surprises, not just the tallies. See Prioritization pattern.

Prioritize

The fifth step of a session: participants vote or rank to show which nodes matter most. See Prioritize.

Problem

See Root / Problem.

Promote-the-tension move

A way to handle disagreement that reveals a circular or two-way relationship: turn the tension into a new node or pattern to investigate. See Difficult situations.

R

Refinement

The mode after construction, when the group sorts, types, and sharpens what is on the board, and introduces refined arrow styles if they matter. See Core principles.

Relationship

The meaning of an arrow. There are three: influences, the default, and the optional refinements blocks / impedes and attacks. See Arrow styles.

Root / Problem

A node type for a problem, root cause, or undesirable current state. Drawn dark brown, with the marker [P]. See Root / Problem.

Roots

In the tree metaphor, the root / problem nodes: hidden, foundational, and where the tree grows from. See Colors and shapes.

Runaway scale

An anti-pattern: the tree grows too large for anyone to read. See Runaway scale.

S

Seed

The second step of a session: participants fill the board with a high volume of diverse nodes, without judging them. See Seed.

Shape variant

An optional accessibility aid: a different node shape for each type, documented in the legend. See Accessibility considerations.

Shortcut

An anti-pattern: the tree collapses into direct problem, action, outcome paths with no depth. See The shortcut.

Solution-dumping

The most dangerous anti-pattern: the board fills with solutions instead of problems, and the tree ends up confirming plans the group already had. See Solution-dumping.

Sticky note

The physical or digital note a node is written on. Every node uses the same shape. See Colors and shapes.

T

Text marker

A short label inside a node that names its type without color: [P], [A], [O], or [D]. See Accessibility considerations.

Tree

Written in lowercase, a specific diagram someone built: "your tree," "the onboarding tree." See Minimum viable tree.

Tree of Influence

A diagramming and facilitation technique for mapping how problems, actions, and desired outcomes influence each other. Always capitalized and written in full. See What it is and is not.

U

Untyped node

A node whose type has not been decided yet, left white or uncolored. Valid during construction. See Colors and shapes.

V

Version

A saved copy of a tree, labeled with its date or planning cycle. Saved versions are kept unchanged; only the current version is edited. See A living document.

View

A perspective on the problem space: the full tree, a blocked outcomes view, or a deep-dive sub-tree. See Full tree.

Vote

A mark a participant places on a node they consider important, during Prioritize. Drawn as a dot. See Prioritize.

Z

Zoom pattern

A facilitation pattern: treat a single node as its own tree, to see what is inside it. See Zoom pattern.