Both breakdown graphs and energy-dependent (ED) maps provide a means of visually representing the fragmentation processes resulting from collision-induced dissociation at different energies. The two presentation methods may be combined for a complete picture of the appearance, disappearance and maximum abundance collision potentials of each of the ions involved in the fragmentation process. A demonstration of this approach is presented using two very different classes of compound, an amino acid and a transition metal carbonyl cluster. Copyright (C) 2002 John Wiley Sons, Ltd.