An axiomatic framework for influence diagram computation with partially ordered preferences

Abstract

This paper presents an axiomatic framework for influence diagram computation, which allows reasoning with partially ordered values of utility. We show how an algorithm based on sequential variable elimination can be used to compute the set of maximal values of expected utility (up to an equivalence relation). Formalisms subsumed by the framework include decision making under uncertainty based on multi-objective utility, or on interval-valued utilities, as well as a more qualitative decision theory based on order of magnitude probabilities and utilities. Consequently, we also introduce the order of magnitude influence diagram to model and solve partially specified sequential decision problems when only qualitative (or imprecise) information is available.