Cause and Effect Diagram

Cause and effect diagrams, also known as fish-bone diagrams, are graphical representations of the causes of various events that lead to one or more impacts.  Each diagram may possess several start points (A points) and one or more end points (B points).  Construction of the diagram may begin from an A point and work towards a B point or extrapolate backwards from a B point.  This is largely a matter of preference.  Some people prefer to start with an impact (B point) and work backwards to its cause.  Others prefer to start with an event (A point) and work towards an impact.