Influence Matrix

Benefit

Works out which developments, trends, possible upheavals, changes, innovations, alternatives can generally have an influence on a system under investigation.
Allows the relationships between the elements to be better defined, supplemented and scrutinized.
Shows which of these variables play an active, reactive, critical or inert role in the system.
Identifies the system "engines", i.e. potential drivers and key factors that can be worked with.
Organizes events, trends or variables in advance, from which scenarios can be derived.

Applications

The influence matrix originally goes back to Frederic Vester's paper computer (1980). This tool can be used to compare the factors that influence the behavior of a system. The influence matrix identifies the specific roles of the individual influencing factors. For example, which variables are particularly influential and effective and, due to their active role, can move anything at all in the system under investigation, i.e. are suitable as levers due to their key role; or which variables are critical because they strongly influence the other factors, but at the same time are themselves strongly influenced.