Calls for papers

 

International Journal of Product Development

 

Special issue on: "Advances in the Design Structure Matrix and Its Applications in Complex System Design and Development"

Guest Editors:
Prof. Dr. Tinggui Chen, Zhejiang Gongshang University, P. R. China
Prof. Dr. Kai Huang, McMaster University, Canada
Prof. Dr. Qiang Cheng, Beijing University of Technology, Beijing, P. R. China

The design structure matrix (DSM) was introduced by Prof. Steward in 1981. It is a popular representation and analysis tool for system dependency modelling which can help to understand the implications of connectivity in different aspects of system performance, and to assist in understanding, designing, optimising and maintaining complex systems including products, processes and organisations.

Recently the DSM has attracted much attention from researchers and has also been widely applied to system design and development, e.g. product development, project scheduling and costing and so on. Nevertheless, for complex and dynamic systems, it is difficult to model dependencies among the elements of a system due to information coupling existing among elements. Therefore, it is necessary to develop more efficient DSM methods to support complex system design and development.

The aim of this special issue is to present original research and review articles on the latest theoretical and practical achievements that will contribute to the field of the design structure matrix and its applications in complex system design and development, in all branches of management science and mechanical science.

Subject Coverage
Suitable topics include, but are not limited to, the following:

• Approaches for modelling or analysis of dependencies in complex system management
• Design structure matrix modelling to support design, analysis and management of products, processes and organisations
• Design structure matrix algorithms including partitioning, tearing, banding and clustering for system analysis and management
• Design structure matrix tools for visualising and exploring complex dependency information
• Problems related to dependencies, dynamics and change in complex system management

Notes for Prospective Authors

Submitted papers should not have been previously published nor be currently under consideration for publication elsewhere. (N.B. Conference papers may only be submitted if the paper has been completely re-written and if appropriate written permissions have been obtained from any copyright holders of the original paper).

All papers are refereed through a peer review process.

All papers must be submitted online. To submit a paper, please read our Submitting articles page.

Important Dates

Manuscripts due by: 15 July, 2013

Notification to authors: 15 October, 2013

Final versions due by: 15 January, 2014