{"id":"https://openalex.org/W7161573740","doi":"https://doi.org/10.1109/tpds.2026.3694097","title":"A Systematic Literature Review of Distributed Multi-Agent Task Allocation: Core Dimensions, Their Interrelationships, and a Repository","display_name":"A Systematic Literature Review of Distributed Multi-Agent Task Allocation: Core Dimensions, Their Interrelationships, and a Repository","publication_year":2026,"publication_date":"2026-05-18","ids":{"openalex":"https://openalex.org/W7161573740","doi":"https://doi.org/10.1109/tpds.2026.3694097"},"language":null,"primary_location":{"id":"doi:10.1109/tpds.2026.3694097","is_oa":false,"landing_page_url":"https://doi.org/10.1109/tpds.2026.3694097","pdf_url":null,"source":{"id":"https://openalex.org/S97130795","display_name":"IEEE Transactions on Parallel and Distributed Systems","issn_l":"1045-9219","issn":["1045-9219","1558-2183","2161-9883"],"is_oa":false,"is_in_doaj":false,"is_core":true,"host_organization":"https://openalex.org/P4310319808","host_organization_name":"Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers","host_organization_lineage":["https://openalex.org/P4310319808"],"host_organization_lineage_names":["Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers"],"type":"journal"},"license":null,"license_id":null,"version":"publishedVersion","is_accepted":true,"is_published":true,"raw_source_name":"IEEE Transactions on Parallel and Distributed Systems","raw_type":"journal-article"},"type":"review","indexed_in":["crossref"],"open_access":{"is_oa":false,"oa_status":"closed","oa_url":null,"any_repository_has_fulltext":false},"authorships":[{"author_position":"first","author":{"id":"https://openalex.org/A5113236296","display_name":"Zitian Yang","orcid":null},"institutions":[{"id":"https://openalex.org/I82880672","display_name":"Beihang University","ror":"https://ror.org/00wk2mp56","country_code":"CN","type":"education","lineage":["https://openalex.org/I82880672"]}],"countries":["CN"],"is_corresponding":false,"raw_author_name":"Zitian Yang","raw_affiliation_strings":["State Key Laboratory of Complex &#x0026; Critical Software Environment (SKLCCSE), Beihang University, Beijing, China"],"raw_orcid":"https://orcid.org/0009-0005-1419-6918","affiliations":[{"raw_affiliation_string":"State Key Laboratory of Complex &#x0026; Critical Software Environment (SKLCCSE), Beihang University, Beijing, China","institution_ids":["https://openalex.org/I82880672"]}]},{"author_position":"middle","author":{"id":"https://openalex.org/A5136360726","display_name":"Li Zhang","orcid":null},"institutions":[{"id":"https://openalex.org/I82880672","display_name":"Beihang University","ror":"https://ror.org/00wk2mp56","country_code":"CN","type":"education","lineage":["https://openalex.org/I82880672"]}],"countries":["CN"],"is_corresponding":false,"raw_author_name":"Li Zhang","raw_affiliation_strings":["State Key Laboratory of Complex &#x0026; Critical Software Environment (SKLCCSE), Beihang University, Beijing, China"],"raw_orcid":"https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2258-5893","affiliations":[{"raw_affiliation_string":"State Key Laboratory of Complex &#x0026; Critical Software Environment (SKLCCSE), Beihang University, Beijing, China","institution_ids":["https://openalex.org/I82880672"]}]},{"author_position":"middle","author":{"id":"https://openalex.org/A5136396183","display_name":"Hang Yu","orcid":null},"institutions":[{"id":"https://openalex.org/I82880672","display_name":"Beihang University","ror":"https://ror.org/00wk2mp56","country_code":"CN","type":"education","lineage":["https://openalex.org/I82880672"]}],"countries":["CN"],"is_corresponding":false,"raw_author_name":"Hang Yu","raw_affiliation_strings":["State Key Laboratory of Complex &#x0026; Critical Software Environment (SKLCCSE), Beihang University, Beijing, China"],"raw_orcid":null,"affiliations":[{"raw_affiliation_string":"State Key Laboratory of Complex &#x0026; Critical Software Environment (SKLCCSE), Beihang University, Beijing, China","institution_ids":["https://openalex.org/I82880672"]}]},{"author_position":"middle","author":{"id":"https://openalex.org/A5031127210","display_name":"J Q Li","orcid":null},"institutions":[{"id":"https://openalex.org/I82880672","display_name":"Beihang University","ror":"https://ror.org/00wk2mp56","country_code":"CN","type":"education","lineage":["https://openalex.org/I82880672"]}],"countries":["CN"],"is_corresponding":false,"raw_author_name":"Jiaxing Li","raw_affiliation_strings":["State Key Laboratory of Complex &#x0026; Critical Software Environment (SKLCCSE), Beihang University, Beijing, China"],"raw_orcid":"https://orcid.org/0009-0007-0525-923X","affiliations":[{"raw_affiliation_string":"State Key Laboratory of Complex &#x0026; Critical Software Environment (SKLCCSE), Beihang University, Beijing, China","institution_ids":["https://openalex.org/I82880672"]}]},{"author_position":"last","author":{"id":"https://openalex.org/A5111296074","display_name":"Xiaoli Lian","orcid":"https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6100-7068"},"institutions":[{"id":"https://openalex.org/I82880672","display_name":"Beihang University","ror":"https://ror.org/00wk2mp56","country_code":"CN","type":"education","lineage":["https://openalex.org/I82880672"]}],"countries":["CN"],"is_corresponding":false,"raw_author_name":"Xiaoli Lian","raw_affiliation_strings":["State Key Laboratory of Complex &#x0026; Critical Software Environment (SKLCCSE), Beihang University, Beijing, China"],"raw_orcid":"https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6100-7068","affiliations":[{"raw_affiliation_string":"State Key Laboratory of Complex &#x0026; Critical Software Environment (SKLCCSE), Beihang University, Beijing, China","institution_ids":["https://openalex.org/I82880672"]}]}],"institutions":[],"countries_distinct_count":1,"institutions_distinct_count":1,"corresponding_author_ids":[],"corresponding_institution_ids":["https://openalex.org/I82880672"],"apc_list":null,"apc_paid":null,"fwci":0.0,"has_fulltext":false,"cited_by_count":0,"citation_normalized_percentile":{"value":0.46808511,"is_in_top_1_percent":false,"is_in_top_10_percent":false},"cited_by_percentile_year":null,"biblio":{"volume":"37","issue":"7","first_page":"1671","last_page":"1690"},"is_retracted":false,"is_paratext":false,"is_xpac":false,"primary_topic":{"id":"https://openalex.org/T10462","display_name":"Reinforcement Learning in Robotics","score":0.19089999794960022,"subfield":{"id":"https://openalex.org/subfields/1702","display_name":"Artificial Intelligence"},"field":{"id":"https://openalex.org/fields/17","display_name":"Computer Science"},"domain":{"id":"https://openalex.org/domains/3","display_name":"Physical Sciences"}},"topics":[{"id":"https://openalex.org/T10462","display_name":"Reinforcement Learning in Robotics","score":0.19089999794960022,"subfield":{"id":"https://openalex.org/subfields/1702","display_name":"Artificial Intelligence"},"field":{"id":"https://openalex.org/fields/17","display_name":"Computer Science"},"domain":{"id":"https://openalex.org/domains/3","display_name":"Physical Sciences"}},{"id":"https://openalex.org/T10249","display_name":"Distributed Control Multi-Agent Systems","score":0.10610000044107437,"subfield":{"id":"https://openalex.org/subfields/1705","display_name":"Computer Networks and Communications"},"field":{"id":"https://openalex.org/fields/17","display_name":"Computer Science"},"domain":{"id":"https://openalex.org/domains/3","display_name":"Physical Sciences"}},{"id":"https://openalex.org/T10456","display_name":"Multi-Agent Systems and Negotiation","score":0.025699999183416367,"subfield":{"id":"https://openalex.org/subfields/1702","display_name":"Artificial Intelligence"},"field":{"id":"https://openalex.org/fields/17","display_name":"Computer Science"},"domain":{"id":"https://openalex.org/domains/3","display_name":"Physical Sciences"}}],"keywords":[{"id":"https://openalex.org/keywords/task","display_name":"Task (project management)","score":0.6729999780654907},{"id":"https://openalex.org/keywords/systematic-review","display_name":"Systematic review","score":0.6110000014305115},{"id":"https://openalex.org/keywords/core","display_name":"Core (optical fiber)","score":0.5564000010490417},{"id":"https://openalex.org/keywords/task-analysis","display_name":"Task analysis","score":0.367900013923645},{"id":"https://openalex.org/keywords/multi-core-processor","display_name":"Multi-core processor","score":0.33340001106262207},{"id":"https://openalex.org/keywords/distributed-database","display_name":"Distributed database","score":0.31189998984336853}],"concepts":[{"id":"https://openalex.org/C41008148","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q21198","display_name":"Computer science","level":0,"score":0.8228999972343445},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C2780451532","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q759676","display_name":"Task (project management)","level":2,"score":0.6729999780654907},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C189708586","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q1504425","display_name":"Systematic review","level":3,"score":0.6110000014305115},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C2164484","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q5170150","display_name":"Core (optical fiber)","level":2,"score":0.5564000010490417},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C175154964","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q380077","display_name":"Task analysis","level":3,"score":0.367900013923645},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C107457646","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q207434","display_name":"Human\u2013computer interaction","level":1,"score":0.34929999709129333},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C78766204","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q555032","display_name":"Multi-core processor","level":2,"score":0.33340001106262207},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C70061542","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q989016","display_name":"Distributed database","level":2,"score":0.31189998984336853},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C115903868","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q80993","display_name":"Software engineering","level":1,"score":0.3019999861717224},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C2522767166","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q2374463","display_name":"Data science","level":1,"score":0.25760000944137573},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C168167062","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q1117970","display_name":"Component (thermodynamics)","level":2,"score":0.25690001249313354},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C2984822820","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q1123036","display_name":"Processor scheduling","level":3,"score":0.25690001249313354},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C26517878","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q228039","display_name":"Key (lock)","level":2,"score":0.25049999356269836}],"mesh":[],"locations_count":1,"locations":[{"id":"doi:10.1109/tpds.2026.3694097","is_oa":false,"landing_page_url":"https://doi.org/10.1109/tpds.2026.3694097","pdf_url":null,"source":{"id":"https://openalex.org/S97130795","display_name":"IEEE Transactions on Parallel and Distributed Systems","issn_l":"1045-9219","issn":["1045-9219","1558-2183","2161-9883"],"is_oa":false,"is_in_doaj":false,"is_core":true,"host_organization":"https://openalex.org/P4310319808","host_organization_name":"Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers","host_organization_lineage":["https://openalex.org/P4310319808"],"host_organization_lineage_names":["Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers"],"type":"journal"},"license":null,"license_id":null,"version":"publishedVersion","is_accepted":true,"is_published":true,"raw_source_name":"IEEE Transactions on Parallel and Distributed Systems","raw_type":"journal-article"}],"best_oa_location":null,"sustainable_development_goals":[],"awards":[{"id":"https://openalex.org/G4037115526","display_name":null,"funder_award_id":"62102014","funder_id":"https://openalex.org/F4320321001","funder_display_name":"National Natural Science Foundation of China"},{"id":"https://openalex.org/G7371131028","display_name":null,"funder_award_id":"62177003","funder_id":"https://openalex.org/F4320321001","funder_display_name":"National Natural Science Foundation of China"}],"funders":[{"id":"https://openalex.org/F4320321001","display_name":"National Natural Science Foundation of China","ror":"https://ror.org/01h0zpd94"}],"has_content":{"pdf":false,"grobid_xml":false},"content_urls":null,"referenced_works_count":128,"referenced_works":["https://openalex.org/W94053287","https://openalex.org/W1446165088","https://openalex.org/W1471578414","https://openalex.org/W1487172044","https://openalex.org/W1970147475","https://openalex.org/W1972391046","https://openalex.org/W1975675278","https://openalex.org/W1985548787","https://openalex.org/W1986431604","https://openalex.org/W1991699460","https://openalex.org/W1994083592","https://openalex.org/W2008499716","https://openalex.org/W2008841225","https://openalex.org/W2010217028","https://openalex.org/W2016791385","https://openalex.org/W2019955851","https://openalex.org/W2045861694","https://openalex.org/W2067870080","https://openalex.org/W2072117516","https://openalex.org/W2088387341","https://openalex.org/W2090909648","https://openalex.org/W2098345778","https://openalex.org/W2107110173","https://openalex.org/W2108036238","https://openalex.org/W2110867671","https://openalex.org/W2115937865","https://openalex.org/W2125248714","https://openalex.org/W2133045087","https://openalex.org/W2142283363","https://openalex.org/W2142544818","https://openalex.org/W2144827113","https://openalex.org/W2146951311","https://openalex.org/W2151408086","https://openalex.org/W2154096713","https://openalex.org/W2156371707","https://openalex.org/W2157488300","https://openalex.org/W2171880132","https://openalex.org/W2222512263","https://openalex.org/W2251217666","https://openalex.org/W2287429606","https://openalex.org/W2480779391","https://openalex.org/W2537545174","https://openalex.org/W2545555761","https://openalex.org/W2566968422","https://openalex.org/W2570836253","https://openalex.org/W2587677894","https://openalex.org/W2724979507","https://openalex.org/W2745300114","https://openalex.org/W2756174616","https://openalex.org/W2756720074","https://openalex.org/W2761094692","https://openalex.org/W2766857868","https://openalex.org/W2774683530","https://openalex.org/W2799899844","https://openalex.org/W2808495305","https://openalex.org/W2810094722","https://openalex.org/W2914250558","https://openalex.org/W2936516903","https://openalex.org/W2939752533","https://openalex.org/W2945018203","https://openalex.org/W2967080400","https://openalex.org/W2975330064","https://openalex.org/W2981844867","https://openalex.org/W3000206786","https://openalex.org/W3009439954","https://openalex.org/W3015770683","https://openalex.org/W3022933012","https://openalex.org/W3026228565","https://openalex.org/W3044319949","https://openalex.org/W3049724892","https://openalex.org/W3085653975","https://openalex.org/W3091310978","https://openalex.org/W3091739094","https://openalex.org/W3111354327","https://openalex.org/W3140867946","https://openalex.org/W3144645476","https://openalex.org/W3158988827","https://openalex.org/W3160371670","https://openalex.org/W3170070992","https://openalex.org/W3175254818","https://openalex.org/W3183437656","https://openalex.org/W3190591843","https://openalex.org/W4206691989","https://openalex.org/W4220689301","https://openalex.org/W4232113674","https://openalex.org/W4236435491","https://openalex.org/W4247781538","https://openalex.org/W4281288913","https://openalex.org/W4296442512","https://openalex.org/W4308030197","https://openalex.org/W4309757306","https://openalex.org/W4312298120","https://openalex.org/W4312552935","https://openalex.org/W4312987379","https://openalex.org/W4313590725","https://openalex.org/W4366759802","https://openalex.org/W4376457092","https://openalex.org/W4379382635","https://openalex.org/W4379878605","https://openalex.org/W4380685612","https://openalex.org/W4382050651","https://openalex.org/W4385155193","https://openalex.org/W4385417519","https://openalex.org/W4385741121","https://openalex.org/W4386453491","https://openalex.org/W4386636393","https://openalex.org/W4388263130","https://openalex.org/W4391651284","https://openalex.org/W4392166819","https://openalex.org/W4392796637","https://openalex.org/W4393171268","https://openalex.org/W4394741531","https://openalex.org/W4399282680","https://openalex.org/W4400967208","https://openalex.org/W4401357555","https://openalex.org/W4401416363","https://openalex.org/W4403398416","https://openalex.org/W4404835216","https://openalex.org/W4404875905","https://openalex.org/W4405166130","https://openalex.org/W4405180306","https://openalex.org/W4406513504","https://openalex.org/W4406730043","https://openalex.org/W4407407261","https://openalex.org/W4409458872","https://openalex.org/W7124132140","https://openalex.org/W7124147627","https://openalex.org/W7124301854"],"related_works":[],"abstract_inverted_index":{"As":[0],"a":[1,88,127,172],"critical":[2],"and":[3,20,51,76,106,119,168],"challenging":[4],"research":[5],"area":[6],"within":[7],"multi-agent":[8,12,31],"systems":[9],"(MAS),":[10],"distributed":[11],"task":[13,32],"allocation":[14,33],"(D-MATA)":[15],"has":[16],"motivated":[17],"extensive":[18],"study":[19],"application":[21],"across":[22],"diverse":[23],"domains.":[24],"Although":[25],"several":[26],"systematic":[27,39,89,173],"reviews":[28],"exist":[29],"on":[30,132],"(MATA),":[34],"none":[35],"provide":[36,142],"an":[37,143],"in-depth,":[38],"analysis":[40],"of":[41,45,79,93,102,122],"the":[42,72,100,108,133,137,153,180],"core":[43,104],"dimensions":[44,105],"D-MATA,":[46],"namely":[47],"applications,":[48],"problems,":[49],"methods,":[50,124],"metrics,":[52],"nor":[53],"explore":[54],"their":[55],"interrelationships.":[56],"Moreover,":[57],"no":[58],"comprehensive":[59,117],"repository":[60,146],"capturing":[61],"such":[62],"foundational":[63],"knowledge":[64,145,174],"is":[65],"currently":[66],"available.":[67],"These":[68],"gaps":[69],"collectively":[70],"hinder":[71],"effective":[73],"learning,":[74],"adoption,":[75],"further":[77],"development":[78],"D-MATA":[80,95,123],"knowledge.":[81],"To":[82,114],"fill":[83],"this":[84],"gap,":[85],"we":[86,125,141],"conduct":[87],"literature":[90],"review":[91],"(SLR)":[92],"107":[94,148],"studies,":[96],"examining":[97],"them":[98],"from":[99,152],"perspectives":[101],"these":[103,112],"discussing":[107],"potential":[109],"interrelationships":[110],"among":[111],"dimensions.":[113],"better":[115],"support":[116],"evaluation":[118,129],"cross-study":[120],"comparison":[121],"propose":[126],"multi-dimensional":[128],"framework":[130],"based":[131],"metrics":[134],"used":[135],"in":[136,179],"selected":[138,154],"literature.":[139],"Additionally,":[140],"open":[144],"comprising":[147],"problem-method-evaluation":[149],"entries":[150],"derived":[151],"literature,":[155],"supporting":[156],"reproducible":[157],"in-depth":[158],"research.":[159],"This":[160],"work":[161],"delivers":[162],"clear":[163],"guidance":[164],"for":[165,176],"both":[166],"researchers":[167],"practitioners":[169],"while":[170],"building":[171],"foundation":[175],"future":[177],"investigations":[178],"field.":[181]},"counts_by_year":[],"updated_date":"2026-07-14T23:27:15.235271","created_date":"2026-05-19T00:00:00"}
