Uses of an Activity Allocation Matrix

There are many uses of an activity allocation matrix.  At the most basic level, it is used to determine if all components have a function to perform and/or determine if all functions are implemented by a component.  At a more advanced level, it can be used to determine whether components are overloaded (i.e., too many functions per component) or functions are redundantly implemented (i.e., too many components implementing the same function).  The activity allocation matrix is also useful in assessing whether the overarching system design strategies have been implemented.  For example, if a design strategy emphasizes modularity, are functions performed by a single component or by multiple components?  Or if a design strategy is redundancy, do multiple components capable of performing a function exist?  Maybe a goal in designing the system is to minimize part count; in this case there should be a minimal number of components which may need to work together to create the required functionality.  Some design strategies may be hard to directly assess on an activity allocation matrix, such as system performance, cost reduction, or sustainability.  In these cases, the activity allocation matrix may become one of many portions of the system model used in a particular assessment.