Design Structure Matrix
DSM
rows are tasks / activities
can identify sequential, parallel and coupled task sets
Are DSMs just categories?
every connection is an arrow
category theory
MIT/SDM/Thesis Ideas
Can show connections through a DSM
DSM of DSMs is a multi domain matrix
Really a data visualization tool
dsmweb.org
A fully populated DSM is a poorly designed system, I think
Sparsity
Off diagonal clusters represent connective modules between clusters / modules
Using DSM to “unplanned iterations”
less clustered DSMs might be better candidates for Agile development
DSM and network view can be isomorphic
DSM allows you to compress a lot of information a network view would be too complicated to view
can see API, shared code, hierarchy, complexity
dependencies across modules both above and below the diagonal shows bad hierarchy
see Joel Moses for work on network representations MIT
