A Metalanguage for Communication, Confidence, and Commitment: A New Perspective on Influence Diagrams

Recent international conferences of the System Dynamics Society have emphasized the value of diagrams and models to teach strategic thinking. In addition, these diagrams have proved useful in communication, which, as I. A. Richards states, is the process of eliciting meanings. According to Richards, “the goal of communication is to create a similar mental experience in the other, a goal that can be achieved only when the communicators share a certain degree of past experience”(Richards, 1923). The work of the researchers discussed below illustrates how diagrams are used to effect the sharing of experience to facilitate communication and cooperation in groups.