A method is provided for managing, in a computer system, design of a database system having a set of schemata. The method includes, in a first computer process, extracting dependencies from the database system and identifying the set of schemata. The method further includes, for each specific schema in the set of schemata, creating in a second computer process a partition that, in turn, contains a further partition for each element of the specific schema, so as to establish a hierarchy of partitions in accordance with the structure of the set of schemata. The method also includes storing a representation of the database system including subsystems, dependency relationships among the subsystems, and the hierarchy of partitions. Finally, the method includes providing a graphical output from the computer system, based on the stored representation, in which appears a display of the subsystems in a hierarchy of partitions within a dependency structure matrix, such matrix graphically indicating the dependency relationships among subsystems. Related apparatus and computer products are also provided.