Factors Influencing Design Iteration with a Focus on Project Duration

Abstract

Researchers have identified the dependency structure matrix (DSM) as a potential tool to explicitly identify iteration blocks and to evaluate the resulting sequence. Factors such as duration of activity, duration of rework, location of feedback variables, size of block, and number of loops within a block influence the overall duration of a project. The present study traces a pattern underlying the behavior of the block in evaluating the execution sequence. To achieve this objective, a database is generated for two-activity and three-activity DSMs by using a Monte-Carlo simulation based approach. The results of the model are analyzed to determine the placement of activity and rework probabilities that can achieve minimal duration of a project.