Multi-Entity Bayesian Networks

Graphical Conventions for Representing MEBN Nodes

The Tower of Babel

Why proposing a convention?

As a royalty-free, open logic, MEBN can be implemented in many ways, by different developers, with distinct motivations, etc. Thus, in order to avoid a "Babel tower" of graphical implementations, we decided to provide the conventions below as guidance for developers to follow. Most of the suggested graphs are already standardized in Bayesian packages, so we opted for a loose convention by providing alternatives to some of the nodes.

Resident Nodes

Usually represented as Ovals, but circles or rounded rectangles are fine.

Resident Node 1Resident Node 2Resident Node 3

Input Nodes

Any shape that has a flat top side linked to a smaller flat lower side by equal, balanced, continuous (i.e. no breaks) sides will suffice. The prefferable shape is on the right side below.

Input Node 1Input Node 2

Context Nodes

Use a flat-based pentagon such as the one on the right below. A rounded top is also acceptable.

Context Node 1Context Node 2

Decision Nodes

Virtually all literature available on decision theory depicts decision nodes as rectangles.

Decision Node

Utility Nodes

Hexagons are the preferred implementation, but parallelograms such as the one depicted below can be accepted

Utility Node 1Utility Node 2

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