Applying the design structure matrix to streamline the development process: lessons from marine renewable development

Abstract

Tailoring a project development process that balances internal and external requirements is difficult for project managers. One specific difficulty is satisfying stakeholders with significant influence and misaligned process requirements. In this thesis, a federally funded marine renewable energy project is analyzed using Design Structure Matrix (DSM) methods. Two opposing processes appear to drive the conflict in the project environment: an environmental impact assessment imposed by a gatekeeper stakeholder, in direct tension with the iterative nature of technology development.

This thesis uses DSM to analyze and re-design the process architecture to create a workable project development process. The DSM methodology relies on identifying and sequencing archetypal dependencies which cause tension and reorganizing task modules to align outcomes at the task and activity level of the project. Two alternatives are generated using this approach and are analyzed for potential impacts on project execution. Particular attention is paid to the tradeoffs created based on an indirect stakeholder exchange model and provides insights for project managers when balancing internal requirements and managing influential stakeholders.