Classification Categories
The publications included in the DSM Knowledge Base are classified according to a practitioner-oriented classification scheme developed as part of the systematic literature review. Each publication is categorized according to where the method is applied, in which context it is used, why it is used, which dependency and structure modeling method is applied, and which primary matrix operation is performed.
1. Industry Sector / Domain
Where is the dependency and structure modeling method used?
This category describes the industry or application domain in which the method is applied. The classification is based on the United Nations’ International Standard Industrial Classification (ISIC), with an additional General category for publications that do not refer to a specific industry.
Subcategories
| Industry Sector / Domain | Definition: Industries/Domains related to the… |
| Aerospace | development, manufacturing, and operation of aircraft, spacecraft, and related machinery |
| Architecture–Engineering–Construction | architectural and engineering activities as well as construction of buildings and civil engineering works |
| Automotive | development and manufacturing of motor vehicles like cars, trucks, and buses, as well as their components |
| Consumer Electronics | development and manufacturing of consumer-focused electrical devices for information processing, entertainment, and communication |
| Energy and Utilities | provision of network-based services like electricity generation and distribution, water supply, or wastewater treatment |
| Extractive Industries | mining and extraction of natural resources like oil and gas, minerals, and ores, or building materials |
| Governance | definition, maintenance, and oversight of policies and regulations focused on public administration |
| Healthcare and Medical Systems | delivery of healthcare activities and development of medical technologies, infrastructure, and IT-systems |
| Industrial Automation and Control | development and implementation of industrial automation and control systems |
| Machinery and Equipment | development, manufacturing, and operation of commercial machinery and equipment |
| Mechatronics and Robotics | development and manufacturing of mechatronic and robotic systems |
| Micromobility | development and manufacturing of mobility devices like bicycles or electric scooters |
| Military and Defense | development and manufacturing of military equipment as well as management of military and defense operations |
| Petro-Chemical | refining and processing of crude oil and gas |
| Public Transport | planning and execution of passenger transport activities |
| Rail | development and manufacturing of railway vehicles and operational control systems |
| Shipbuilding | development and manufacturing of ships and floating structures |
| Software Development | development and maintenance of software-based products |
| Tourism | travel agency, tour operation, and reservation activities |
| General | Used when no specific industry sector / domain was defined in the source |
2. Application Discipline
In which context is the dependency and structure modeling method used?
This category describes the engineering, management, or operational context in which the method is applied. The categories were inductively derived from the reviewed literature and optimized to provide meaningful distinctions while maintaining sufficient consistency for analysis.
Subcategories
| Application discipline | Definition |
| Airspace Sectorization | Separation of airspaces into manageable sections to enable efficient monitoring by air traffic controllers |
| Construction Management | Management and planning activities with a specific focus on the construction of buildings and civil engineering works |
| Design Process Management | Management and planning activities with a specific focus on the organization, coordination, and structures of design processes |
| Enterprise Management | Management and planning activities related to the overall enterprise with a specific focus on strategic decisions about organizational structures as well as human, financial, and physical resources |
| Governance | Activities required for the design and definition of policies in a public administration context |
| Manufacturing and Assembly Planning | Management and planning activities with a specific focus on industrial production and assembly processes |
| Operations Planning and Logistics | Planning and coordination of the flow, usage, transportation, and maintenance of physical resources |
| Personnel Training and Education | Activities related to the training of personnel in a workforce context and education in a scholar context |
| Product and Service Development / Design | Development of physical products, services, and combined product-service-systems |
| Project Management and Delivery | Management and planning activities for non-specific activities or full-scale projects including all sub-stages |
| Surgery Process Planning / Analysis | Analysis, planning, and optimization activities related to surgical procedures |
| General | Used when no specific application discipline was defined in the source |
3. Purpose
Why is the dependency and structure modeling method used?
This category describes the primary objective of applying DSM, DMM, or MDM within the publication. Similar application goals were consolidated into common categories during the literature review.
Subcategories
| Purpose | Definition: Use cases focused on… |
| Change Management | determining the effects of changes to products, processes, or organizations, including changes to their requirements |
| Configuration Management | managing and validating technically viable product or system configurations based on predefined modules and dependency constraints |
| Digital Tool Assistance | supporting the use of digital tools including engineering-specific systems such as CAD or simulation software |
| Flight Route Optimization | optimization of flight route design and routing strategies |
| Industrial Symbiosis | establishing resource-based mutually beneficial relationships between different enterprises |
| Knowledge Management | structuring and management of knowledge through documentation of relationships between different knowledge elements |
| Modular Architecture / System Design | modularization of existing or newly developed products, systems, or services |
| Policy Design / Analysis | supporting policy design and analysis through evaluation of the systems to which the policies should apply to |
| Project / Process Planning and Optimization | structuring, sequencing, and improving projects or processes based on dependencies between activities, execution timing, and relevant constraints |
| Risk Management | identifying and assessing risks affecting products, processes, or organizations, regardless of their origins |
| Supply Chain Management | analyzing and optimizing structural dependencies within supply chains |
| System Modeling and Analysis | modeling and analysis of systems to determine relationships and evaluate or improve the systems structure and composition |
| Team Composition / Coordination and Collaboration Management | improving communication and information flows through structured team compositions and cross-departmental collaborations |
| User-Centered Design | identifying and evaluating user requirements to develop products that achieve high customer satisfaction |
4. Dependency and Structure Modeling Method
Which dependency and structure modeling method is applied?
Only the highest-level method used in each publication is recorded.
5. Primary Matrix Operation
Which primary matrix operation is performed?
This category describes the principal analytical operation applied to the matrix model.
- Clustering
- Partitioning / Sequencing
- Connectivity Degree Evaluation (Density)
- Matrix Derivation
- Tearing
- Banding
- Visualization / Modeling Only