Partition number, Fooling-set method along with rank method provide important tools to identify deterministic communication complexity of a function. These techniques were identified some decades before. What other modern techniques have been invented to identify deterministic complexity of a function? Which functions have these been utilized to solve?Could tools from information theory, pattern matrix be useful in saying anything about deterministic complexity both in single user, multi user situations? 
Modern tools deterministic communication applications
big picture;communication complexity;survey