The best Tools for Structured Visual Thinking VGL Guide — Examples

VGL Guide — Examples

Estimated reading time: 2 minutes.

In this section

Example 1: Simple IBIS Graph — A basic decision-making graph with questions and answers:
Example 2: IBIS with Arguments — A more complete decision graph with pro and con arguments:
Example 3: Using Groups — Organizing nodes into logical groups:
Example 4: Nested Groups with Attributes — Complex hierarchical structure with styling:
Example 5: Minimal Syntax — Using the most concise syntax available:
Example 6: Complex Graph with All Features — A comprehensive example demonstrating all VGL features:
Example 7: Using Explicit Edge Types — Demonstrating all IBIS edge types:
Example 8: Impact Mapping — A strategic planning graph showing goals, actors, impacts, and deliverables:
Example 9: Impact Mapping with Inferred Types — Using type inference for cleaner syntax:
Example 10: Concept Map — Defining domain vocabulary through falsifiable propositions. The title is a Guiding Question that determines what belongs on the map. Every Concept → Relation → Concept chain ALWAYS forms a readabl...
Example 11: Current Reality Tree (CRT) — A root cause analysis graph showing how causes lead to undesirable effects:
Example 12: Future Reality Tree (FRT) — A solution validation graph showing how proposed solutions lead to desired outcomes:
Example 13: Evaporating Cloud (EC) — A conflict resolution graph showing how assumptions behind a conflict can be surfaced and resolved:
Example 14: Prerequisite Tree (PRT) — A planning graph showing obstacles blocking objectives and intermediate objectives to overcome them:
Example 15: Transition Tree (TRT) — A step-by-step implementation planning graph showing how actions lead to desired outcomes:
Example 16: Attack-Defense Tree (ADTree) — A security modelling graph showing how defenses protect a system and how attacks can circumvent them. Based on the data confidentiality scenario from Kordy et al. (2014):
Example 17: Goal Tree (GoalTree) — A strategic planning graph using Theory of Constraints necessity logic. The Goal Tree defines what an organization must achieve through a hierarchy of a single Goal, Critical Success Factors (CSFs)...
Example 18: Causal Loop Diagram (CLD) — A systems analysis diagram modelling population dynamics with reinforcing and balancing feedback loops. Causal Loop Diagrams use "same" links (solid, marked "s") where both variables change in the ...
Example 19: Decision Tree — A decision logic graph for a hiring process showing how a series of questions leads to distinct outcomes:
Example 20: Timeline — A timeline visualizing events across multiple tracks aligned to a shared time axis: