A Spectral Analysis Software to Detect Modules in a DSM

Authors

  • Somwrita Sarkar Design Lab, University of Sydney, Australia. Australia
  • Andy Dong Faculty of Engineering and Information Technologies, University of Sydney, Australia Australia

Keywords:

Product architecture, modularity, Eigenvalue decomposition, Spectral clustering

Abstract

This paper presents a new spectral clustering and partitioning based software tool for the identification of modules in design structure matrices. The MATLABÒ-based software can identify the globally optimal number of modules in the design structure matrix and identify overlapping and hierarchically overlapping modules. The software tool provides the capability for the modeler to vary the level of granularity of the analysis so as to obtain either a high-level or a granular view of modularity at the components, sub-systems, or system levels, the number of levels defined arbitrarily. It also provides the modeler with the flexibility of visualizing the membership of overlapping components to modules in terms of continuously varying membership strength. A link is provided for interested readers to download the software.

Author Biographies

  • Somwrita Sarkar, Design Lab, University of Sydney, Australia. Australia

    Dr. Somwrita Sarkar’s research investigates complex systems and networks in various design,technological, and biological domains, and develops computational and analytical models and methods to better understand them. She is currently working on spectral methods for graph classification, especially for modularity and hierarchy detection in complex networks. Dr. Sarkar received a Bachelorof Planning from the School of Planning and Architecture, New Delhi in 1999, a Master of Technology in Construction Engineering and Management from the Indian Institute of Technology, New Delhi in 2003, and a PhD in Design Theory and Methodology from the University of Sydney in 2009.

  • Andy Dong, Faculty of Engineering and Information Technologies, University of Sydney, Australia Australia

    Andy Dong’s research addresses the central activity of engineering: the design of new products and services. He joined the University of Sydney in 2003 after completing his PhD and postdoctoral training in mechanical engineering at the University of California, Berkeley. He started in the Faculty of Architecture, Design and Planning as a Lecturer and eventually became the Head of Discipline for the Design Lab. In 2010, he was awarded an Australian Research Council Future Fellowship. He was appointed the Warren Centre Chair for Engineering Innovation in 2012 and joined the Faculty of Engineering & Information Technologies. He is on the Editorial Board of the key journals in design research including Design Studies, Journal of Engineering Design, and Research in Engineering Design.

References

Alfaris, A., Svetinovic, D., Siddiqi, A., Rizk, C., de Weck, O., 2010. Hierarchical Decomposition and Multidomain Formulation for the Design of Complex Sustainable Systems. Journal of Mechanical Design 132, 091003-091003.

Biggs, N., 1994. Algebraic Graph Theory, 2nd ed. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge.

Borjesson, F., Hölttä-Otto, K., 2012. Improved Clustering Algorithm for Design Structure Matrix, ASME 2012 International Design Engineering Technical Conferences and Computers and Information in Engineering Conference. ASME, New York, pp. 921-930.

Browning, T.R., 2001. Applying the design structure matrix to system decomposition and integration problems: a review and new directions. Engineering Management, IEEE Transactions on 48, 292-306.

Browning, T.R., Eppinger, S.D., 2002. Modeling impacts of process architecture on cost and schedule risk in product development. Engineering Management, IEEE Transactions on 49, 428-442.

Chiriac, N., Holtta-Otto, K., Lysy, D., Suh, E.S., 2011. Level of Modularity and Different Levels of System Granularity. Journal of Mechanical Design 133, 101007-101010.

Cvetković, D.M., Doob, M., Sachs, H., 1995. Spectra of graphs : theory and applications. Johann Ambrosius Barth Verlag, Heidelberg.

Day, R., Stone, R.B., Lough, K.G., 2009. Validating Module Heuristics on Large Scale Products, ASME 2009 International Design Engineering Technical Conferences and Computers and Information in Engineering

Conference (IDETC/CIE2009). ASME, San Diego, pp. 1079-1087.

de Aguiar, M.A.M., Bar-Yam, Y., 2005. Spectral analysis and the dynamic response of complex networks. Physical Review E 71, 016106.

de Lathauwer, L., de Moor, B., Vandewalle, J., 2000. A multilinear singular value decomposition. SIAM Journal on Matrix Analysis and Applications 21, 1253-1278.

Dong A. and Sarkar, S., 2012. Generalized design knowledge and higher order singular value decomposition, in: Gero, J.S. (Ed.), Design Computing and Cognition, 2012. Springer.

Eppinger, S.D., Browning, T.R., 2012. Design Structure Matrix Methods and Applications. MIT Press, MIT.

Farkas, I.J., Derényi, I., Barabási, A.-L., Vicsek, T., 2001. Spectra of “real-world” graphs: Beyond the semicircle law. Physical Review E 64, 026704.

Fortunato, S., 2010. Community detection in graphs. Physics Reports 486, 75-174.

Fortunato, S., Barthélemy, M., 2007. Resolution limit in community detection. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences 104, 36-41.

Gao, F., Xiao, G., Simpson, T., 2009. Module-scale-based product platform planning. Research in Engineering Design 20, 129-141.

Gershenson, J.K., Prasad, G.J., Zhang, Y., 2003. Product modularity: Definitions and benefits. Journal of Engineering Design 14, 295 - 313.

Helmer, R., Yassine, A., Meier, C., 2008. Systematic module and interface definition using component design structure matrix. Journal of Engineering Design 21, 647-675.

Hölttä, K.M.M., Salonen, M.P., 2003. Comparing Three Different Modularity Methods, 15th International Conference on Design Theory and Methodology. ASME, Chicago, pp. 533-541.

Hölttä-Otto, K., de Weck, O., 2007. Degree of Modularity in Engineering Systems and Products with Technical and Business Constraints. Concurrent Engineering 15, 113-126.

Lancichinetti, A., Fortunato, S., 2009. Benchmarks for testing community detection algorithms on directed and weighted graphs with overlapping communities. Physical Review E 80, 016118.

Li, S., 2010. Methodical Extensions for Decomposition of Matrix-Based Design Problems. Journal of Mechanical Design 132, 061003-061003.

Newman, M.E.J., 2013. Spectral methods for community detection and graph partitioning. Physical Review E 88, 042822.

Peixoto, T.P., 2013. Eigenvalue Spectra of Modular Networks. Physical Review Letters 111, 098701.

Platanitis, G., Pop-Iliev, R., Barari, A., 2012. Development of a DSM-Based Methodology in an Academic Setting. Journal of Mechanical Design 134, 021007-021007.

Sarkar S. and Dong A., 2011. Community detection in graphs using singular value decomposition. Physical Review E 83, 046114.

Sarkar S., Dong A., Henderson, J.A., and Robisnon, P.A., 2013a. Spectral characterization of hierarchical modularity in product architectures. Journal of Mechanical Design 136, 011006.

Sarkar, S., Henderson, J.A., and Robinson, P.A., 2013b. Spectral characterization of hierarchical modularity and limits of modularity detection. PLoS ONE 8, e54383.

Sosa, M.E., Eppinger, S.D., Rowles, C.M., 2003. Identifying Modular and Integrative Systems and Their Impact on Design Team Interactions. Journal of Mechanical Design 125, 240-252.

Sosa, M.E., Eppinger, S.D., Rowles, C.M., 2007. A Network Approach to Define Modularity of Components in Complex Products. Journal of Mechanical Design 129, 1118-1129.

Stone, R.B., Wood, K.L., Crawford, R.H., 2000. A heuristic method for identifying modules for product architectures. Design Studies 21, 5-31.

Tilstra, A.H., Seepersad, C.C., Wood, K.L., 2012. A high-definition design structure matrix (HDDSM) for the quantitative assessment of product architecture. Journal of Engineering Design 23, 764-786.

Van Eikema Hommes, Q.D., 2008. Comparison and Application of Metrics That Define the Components Modularity in Complex Products, ASME 2008 International Design Engineering Technical Conferences and Computers and Information in Engineering Conference (IDETC/CIE2008). ASME, Brooklyn, pp. 287-296.

Wang, B., Antonsson, E.K., 2004. Information Measure for Modularity in Engineering Design, ASME 2004 International Design Engineering Technical Conferences and Computers and Information in Engineering Conference (IDETC/CIE2004) ASME, Salt Lake City, pp. 449-458.

Xu, Q., Jiao, J.R., 2009. Design Project Modularization for Product Families. Journal of Mechanical Design 131, 071007-071007.

Downloads

Published

2022-05-20

Issue

Vol. 3 No. 2 (2015): The Journal of Modern Project Management

Section

Articles-JMPM

License

Copyright (c) 2022 Somwrita Sarkar, Andy Dong

Creative Commons License

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.

How to Cite

A Spectral Analysis Software to Detect Modules in a DSM. (2022). The Journal of Modern Project Management, 3(2), 133. https://journalmodernpm.com/manuscript/index.php/jmpm/article/view/204

Similar Articles

11-20 of 123

You may also start an advanced similarity search for this article.