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DSM Web Site at MIT
What is a Design Structure Matrix (DSM)?
A Design Structure Matrix (DSM) is a compact, matrix representation of a
system/project. The matrix contains a list of all constituent subsystems/activities and
the corresponding information exchange and dependency patterns. That is, what information
pieces (parameters) are required to start a certain activity and where does the
information generated by the activity feed into (i.e. which other tasks within the matrix
utilize the output information).
The DSM provide insights about how to manage a complex system/project and
hilights issues of information needs and requirements, task sequencing, and iterations.
A sample DSM is shown below
| ACTIVITIES |
|
A |
B |
C |
D |
E |
F |
G |
H |
I |
J |
K |
L |
M |
N |
| Receive
specification |
A |
A |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| generate/select
Concept |
B |
X |
B |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Design
beta cartridges |
C |
X |
X |
C |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Produce
beta cartridges |
D |
|
|
X |
D |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Develop
testing program |
E |
X |
X |
X |
|
E |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Test
beta cartridges |
F |
|
|
X |
X |
X |
F |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Design
prod'n cartridge |
G |
X |
X |
X |
|
|
X |
G |
X |
X |
|
|
|
|
|
| Design
mold |
H |
X |
X |
|
|
|
X |
X |
H |
X |
|
|
|
|
|
| Design
assembly tooling |
I |
|
|
|
|
|
|
X |
X |
I |
|
|
|
|
|
| Purchase
MFG equipment |
J |
|
|
|
|
X |
|
X |
|
X |
J |
|
|
|
|
| Fabricate
molds |
K |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
X |
|
|
K |
|
|
|
| Debug
molds |
L |
|
|
|
|
|
|
X |
X |
|
|
X |
L |
|
|
| Certify
cartridge |
M |
|
|
|
|
X |
|
|
|
|
|
X |
|
M |
|
| Initial
production run |
N |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
X |
|
X |
X |
N |
The X marks indicate the existence and direction of information flow (or a dependency
in a general sense) from one activity in the project (i.e. matrix) to another. Reading
across a row reveals the input/dependency flows by an X mark placed at the intersection of
that row with the column that bears the name of the input task. Reading across a column
reveals the output information flows from that activity to other activities by placing an
X in a similar manner described above. For example, consider activity C in the above
matrix. Activity C relies on information from activities A and B and delivers information
to activities D, E, F and G.
The GREEN marks (below the diagonal)
represent FORWARD flow of information.
The RED marks (above the diagonal) are of
special significance. Such a mark reveal a FEEDBACK from a later (i.e. downstream) activity to an
earlier (i.e. upstream) one. This means that the earlier activity has to be repeated in
light of the late arrival of new information.
It is worth noting that some DSM researchers and practitioners use an opposite
convention for the feedforward and feedback marks, as discussed above. That is, the DSM is
be built in such a way that sub-diagonal marks represent feedback.
To Know more about the Design Structure Matrix, please
go to the tutorial by clicking here
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