Node A6 · Acronym decoder
DSM
Design Structure Matrix
What it actually means
A square matrix mapping which elements of a system (or tasks of a process) depend on which others — dependencies above the diagonal indicate feedback loops that force iteration. Reordering the matrix to cluster and sequence dependencies is a compact, powerful way to plan integration order and spot the couplings that will cause rework.
Where you'll meet it
Architecture analysis, integration planning, and process improvement work.