Use path analysis

There are several path analysis methods available in the analysis tools window.

Perform all paths or shortest Path analysis

In the analysis window, All Paths and Shortest Path identify how two nodes are connected. All Paths indicates every possible route a connection can take between the source and target nodes. Shortest Path indicates the connection with the least degrees of separation. If there are multiple paths with the same shortest path distance, all of these results will be returned.

Once you have a link chart with at least one node set and one link set connecting your nodes, follow these steps to perform path analysis:

  1. Click the Link Analysis button on the Link Chart Diagram tab to open the analysis tools window.

    To minimize the window, click the arrow button at the upper left.

  2. Under Analysis Method, choose Path.
  3. Under Path Type, choose All Paths or Shortest Path.
  4. Under Travel Direction, choose one of the following options:

    Link charts are directional, and analysis may be different based on the direction selected.

    • All Directions-Analysis—Performed on both incoming and outgoing links
    • Incoming-Analysis—Performed on incoming links only
    • Outgoing-Analysis—Performed on outgoing links only
  5. Click the Source button and set your source node.
  6. Click the Target button and set your target node.

    Your path or paths are highlighted in the Link Chart view and the tabular results appear in the analysis window.

  7. You can interact with the tabular results in the analysis window.

Perform reachability analysis

Reachability analysis identifies which nodes in the network are reachable via any number of degrees of separation from the source node as well as nodes the source node may influence.

  1. Click the Link Analysis button on the Link Chart Diagram tab to open the analysis tools window.

    To minimize the window, click the arrow button at the upper left.

  2. Under Analysis Method, choose Path.
  3. Under Path Type, choose Reachability.
  4. Under Travel Direction, choose one of the following options.

    Link charts are directional, and analysis may be different based on the direction selected.

    • All Directions-Analysis—Performed on both incoming and outgoing links
    • Incoming-Analysis—Performed on incoming links only
    • Outgoing-Analysis —Performed on outgoing links only
  5. Click the Source button and set your source node.

    The reachability value appears in the link chart view and the tabular results appear in the analysis window.