Design structure matrix

The design structure matrix, also called the dependency structure matrix or N2 matrix, is a compact visual method for representing a system or project as a square matrix. The elements, which may be product components, organization teams or project activities, are listed along the rows and columns, and a mark in an off-diagonal cell shows a directed link such as an information flow, a design constraint or a precedence relation. It is the equivalent of an adjacency matrix in graph theory and is used in systems engineering and project management to analyse complex systems, plan projects and organize teams. Static matrices, where all elements exist at once, are usually analysed with clustering algorithms, while time-based matrices are reordered by partitioning, tearing and sequencing algorithms that move feedback marks toward the diagonal. Practice grew greatly in the 1990s across construction, automotive, aerospace, electronics and many government agencies, and extensions such as the multiple domain matrix link several matrices together.