DSM

DSM
Design Structure Matrix

Prof. Yoram Reich & Arie Karniel
School of Mechanical Engineering
Faculty of Engineering
Tel Aviv University
Copyright
2005 Reich
This presentation includes

material copyrighted by
others. Please do not
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Complexity of systems
Copyright 2003-2005 Yo
Complexity of embedded/sub systems
Complexity of an engine
Engine block
Pistons
Connecting rods
Crankshaft
Flywheel
Lubrication
Heads
Camshaft/Valve Train
Cooling
Intake manifold
Fuel system
Accessory drive
Air cleaner
A.I.R.
Throttle body
Exhaust
BGR
EVAP
Ignition
PCM
Engine electrical
Engine assembly
More Complexity
Complexity of teams/organizations required to design

complex products
Complexity of processes
Complexity of the details of decisions that need to be
coordinated to complete design
Managing complexity
We need a tool for modeling the complexity,

analyzing it, and
using the results to improve practice
DSM Design Structure Matrix
Next generation of PM Tools
1900s gave us Gantt

1960s gave us CPM/PERT
1990s gives us DSM
Early work be Steward and Warfield
Focuses on information flow rather than on activity flow!
Incorporates loops and feedback

Visually appealing
Mathematical structure: binary matrices
Methodology for different algorithms:
Partitioning, clustering, banding
System modeling
The system graph:
node represents a system element

an edge joining two nodes represents the relationship between
two system elements
Arrow direction represents the influence from one element to

another
The resultant graph is called a directed graph or simply a
digraph
Design Structure Matrix
A Design Structure Matrix (DSM) is a compact, matrix representation of a

project.
The matrix representation of a digraph is a binary square matrix with m rows
and columns (number of nodes), and n non-zero elements, the number of
edges in the digraph
What could be the minimal number of edges in the matrix ?

What could be the minimal number of process edges when adding Begin and End tasks?
Reading DSM / interpreting processes
Upstream from previous task to next

Downstream - Iteration
10
Task Based DSM
Numbers on diagonal represent

resources (e.g., time) required
to finish the job)
Numbers indicate the earliest

time from start (0) that this
process can start. D can start
only after C and B finish and
since C takes 20, the number is
20.
11
Design Iteration
12
Observations
13
Basic building blocks of processes
14
Example DSM input and output
Our motivation is to reduce the

number of feedback loops as
much as possible by
concentrating them in small
coupled blocks.
15
DSM Partitioning
The process of reordering the DSM rows and columns:
minimize the feedback marks
and
moving them as close as possible to the diagonal (this
form of the matrix is known as block triangular).
16
Partitioning algorithm
Simple algorithm (there are more)

1.
Identify element(s) without input from other elements.

(empty row). Place in top of the DSM
2.
Identify element(s) without output to other elements.

(empty column). Place in end top of the DSM
3.
4.
Remove the element (row, column) and Repeat 1
Remove the element (row, column) and Repeat 2
If no elements remain, then the matrix is partitioned;

otherwise, the remaining elements contain circuits
Determine circuits (Powers of the Adjacency Matrix; Path search)
when a circuit found Collapse circuit i.e. create one element and
assign the inputs / outputs of circuit elements to this new element

5.
Go to 1
When you go to 1, the new element might go

to top (in step 1), bottom (in step 2), or stay. If
another circuit is found and collapsed, then
upon going to 1 again, they will be handles
similarly or wait till another circuit is found.
17
Powers of the Adjacency Matrix (identifying circuits)

1.
2.
3.
4.
Replace a link marks with 1

All other with 0 (including the main diagonal)
Raise the DSM to power p (starting at p = 2 )
If on the main diagonal there are markings, they belong to
circuit(s) of size p.
5.
Stop
Increase p until N (N number of elements), go to 3
Notes:
on raising to power p there might be p elements indicating a circuit (loop) with

size p,
or K*p elements indicating K circuits of size p.
In the latter case a Path Searching or Breadth-First Search is required, but only
between the indicated elements.
Self links could be easily identified from the original matrix and eliminated
from the analysis.
18
Powers of the Adjacency Matrix (example) (identifying circuits)
Given the following graph with its adjacency matrix A:
b
a
Some powers of A are:

A2
These nodes are involved in

circuits: c, d, e. we can be sure it is
not one circuit because with 3
nodes there is no single circuit of
length 2.
If we eliminated c since its a self
link, we would have ended with 2
nodes here and no need to check
anything.
We can identify this self loop from

the start and eliminate it from the
analysis.
A3
Only node c is involved with

circuits of length 3 because only it
has 1 on this diagonal.
A4
Same situation as with A2. Now

circuit length is 4. Can these nodes
belong to a single circuit?
When elements in a loop are not collapsed, they will appear on multiplications of the loop length.
When collapsed a one node with a self loop is created (the self loop mark should be removed)
19
Collapse a circuit (loop)
Sum all rows of the elements in the circuit to one

representative row (any of the elements)
Sum all columns of the elements in the circuit to a
representative column (any of the elements)
Delete all rows and columns of the other elements in the
circuit
Each number, which is greater than 1, turn to 1
Replace the number on the diagonal to zero
20
Path Searching (identifying circuits)
Path search is done on the DSM (not on DSM^k)

Starting from any element, follow the dependencies (on row) until
at some point an element is reached again. Stop
The result circuit (loop) is from the first appearance of the element
to its second appearance (not the first element which was checked)
Notes
Path searching can be used on its own starting from any element
(after completing steps 1 2).
Or, can be complementary item to Powers of Matrix
In the general case minimal circuit (loops) are not guarantied
Searching only within the results of Power of matrix (at each step)
does result in minimal circuits.
21
Breadth-First Search (BFS) (identifying circuits)
This is a graph algorithm
since DSM represents a directed graph, it can be used for finding DSM
circuits (loops) as well
Algorithm (On the original DSM)
1.
2.
3.
4.
Starting from any element, add it to a buffer

(or queue, i.e. first in first out)
If current element (first in the buffer) is reached again (current
element already in history list) there is a loop,
Stop.
For current element (first in the buffer) go to all the next
elements (on the row) add them to the buffer, then remove the
current element from the beginning of the buffer and keep in
history list.
Go to 2
22
Example of DSM partitioning

Step 4
On DSM^2, 4 elements identified
On path search, loops are: bi dg
Initial DSM
Steps 1 & 2 no changes
Initial DSM
DSM^2
23
Example (cont. 1)
Collapsed DSM of bi and dg
Collapse for bi :
add row i to row b and col i to col b)
If any result > 1 than =1
The diagonal element =0
Then remove i , and rename b to bi
bi
dg
Step 2: element dg has no output (empty column)

And is moved to bottom
And ignored for the rest of the algorithm
bi
dg
bi
bi
dg
dg
24
Example (cont. 2)
The new DSM^2 no diagonal 1
DSM^3 reveals 2 loops of 3 elements
On path search, loops are: akc and ehj
b
i
d
g
bi
dg
Collapsed DSM of
akc and ehj
Step 1 akc to top

Step 1 f to top
Step 2 bi, ehi to bottom
That is the algorithm end
a
k
c
b
i
e
h
j
d
g
a
k
c
b
i
e
h
j
d
g
akc
akc
bi
ehj
bi
ehj
dg
dg
25
Example (Cont 3)
Final result
After expansion of collapsed elements
Compare this DSM to the initial DSM

How will the result change if a link e to a is added ?
How will the result change if a link d to b is added?
26
Optimal partitioning
Complex optimization problem:
Solutions are discrete (optimization methods based on

derivatives are not applicable)
Multiple local minima
Large solution space n!*2^(n-1)
N! is the number of ways to order
the n tasks and 2(n-1) is the number
of ways to create subsets from each
such ordering.
Search algorithms are typically used
Main concept
1.
2.
3.
Create potential solution(s)

Choose best solution(s) to continue with , according to a
cost function
Until an exit decision criteria, Go to 1
27
Optimal partitioning (cont.)
Algorithm concept examples:
Genetic Algorithms (GA)

Create gene population (solution)
Choose best genes
Create new generation out of previous one
Simulated Annealing (SA)

allow jumps to a solution which is worse than current as a new
search start,
The probability of such an occasion, decreases with search time,
as search continues.
Cost function examples for partitioning
Distance from diagonal (being close to main diagonal)

Distance from lower left point
28
DSM Tearing
Removing feedback marks that result in lower triangular

matrix. The marks that we remove from the matrix are called
"tears".
Means: identifying the set of assumptions to be made in order
to start design process iterations.
Having made these assumptions, no additional estimates need to

be made.
No optimal method exist for tearing

Recommendations:
Minimal number of tears (reduces estimates)

Seek small diagonal blocks, (fewer iterations)
Choose easiest activity estimates
29
DSM Tearing
30
DSM Banding
Addition of alternating light/dark bands to show independent

activities (ignoring feedback)
The collection of bands or levels within a DSM constitute the
critical path of the system/project.
One element/activity within each band is the critical/bottleneck
activity.
Thus, fewer bands are preferred since they improve the
concurrency of the system/project
31
DSM Banding
Identification of serial/parallel activities
Do not consider feedback links

Example 4 & 5 are independent (parallel)
Also 7 & 8, 9 & 10
32
Four types of system models
Static: things in the model coexist in time

Time-based: describe the sequencing of items in time
33
Static:
Component-based
People-based
Relationships between multiple components of the project

System architecting
Relationships between people/teams involved in the project
Organizational/project design, team integration
Time-based:
Activity-based
Relationships between output and input of activities

Project scheduling
Parameter-based
Influences between decisions on the values of parameters

Low level activity sequencing
34
Analysis method
Static
clustering
Time-based
Partitioning/sequencing
35
DSM Clustering
Goal: finding subsets of DSM elements (i.e. clusters or

modules) that are mutually exclusive or minimally
interacting subsets
Used when the DSM elements represent design
components or teams within a development project
36
DSM Clustering example
37
DSM Clustering
Maximize interaction along diagonal
Two clusters
Disjoint & Joined solutions
38
Team Based
39
Parameter-based
40
Component Based
41
Building a DSM
Interview engineers and managers

Determine list of tasks or parameters
Ask about inputs, outputs, strengths of interaction, etc
Enter marks in matrix (we have Excel macros to help)
Check with engineers and managers to verify/comment
on DSM
42
Bibliography
The DSM site
http://www.dsmweb.org/
Tutorial : http://www.dsmweb.org/Tutorial/tutorial.htm
Other presentations
www.gerc.eng.ufl.edu/Faculty%20pages/ Pfister/Fall05/Class14.ppt
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DSM

Design Structure Matrix

This presentation includes

Complexity of embedded/sub systems

Complexity of teams/organizations required to design

We need a tool for modeling the complexity,

DSM Design Structure Matrix

Next generation of PM Tools

1900s gave us Gantt

Early work be Steward and Warfield

Focuses on information flow rather than on activity flow!

Incorporates loops and feedback

Partitioning, clustering, banding

The system graph:

node represents a system element

Arrow direction represents the influence from one element to

Design Structure Matrix

A Design Structure Matrix (DSM) is a compact, matrix representation of a

What could be the minimal number of edges in the matrix ?

Reading DSM / interpreting processes

Upstream from previous task to next

Task Based DSM

Numbers on diagonal represent

Numbers indicate the earliest

Basic building blocks of processes

Example DSM input and output

Our motivation is to reduce the

Simple algorithm (there are more)

Identify element(s) without input from other elements.

Identify element(s) without output to other elements.

Remove the element (row, column) and Repeat 1

Remove the element (row, column) and Repeat 2

If no elements remain, then the matrix is partitioned;

assign the inputs / outputs of circuit elements to this new element

When you go to 1, the new element might go

Powers of the Adjacency Matrix (identifying circuits)

Replace a link marks with 1

Increase p until N (N number of elements), go to 3

on raising to power p there might be p elements indicating a circuit (loop) with

Powers of the Adjacency Matrix (example) (identifying circuits)

Given the following graph with its adjacency matrix A:

Some powers of A are:

These nodes are involved in

We can identify this self loop from

Only node c is involved with

Same situation as with A2. Now

Collapse a circuit (loop)

Sum all rows of the elements in the circuit to one

Path Searching (identifying circuits)

Path search is done on the DSM (not on DSM^k)

Breadth-First Search (BFS) (identifying circuits)

This is a graph algorithm

Starting from any element, add it to a buffer

Example of DSM partitioning

Step 2: element dg has no output (empty column)

Step 1 akc to top

Compare this DSM to the initial DSM

Complex optimization problem:

Solutions are discrete (optimization methods based on

Search algorithms are typically used

Create potential solution(s)

Optimal partitioning (cont.)

Algorithm concept examples: