Topology optimization (TO) is a versatile tool for designers aiming to create load-appropriate and lightweight designs for structural components. Several manufacturing methods can fabricate the proposed TO designs. However, the often mesh-based algorithms produce inconsistent structures that cannot be manufactured straight away, even with additive manufacturing processes. To develop a methodology for designers, the literature was first systematically reviewed, categorized and information was extracted, from which the knowledge-based procedure was derived. In addition, literature evaluation proved on a variety of examples that TO structures can be divided into specific substructures. This is how the KS2-approach (DEU: Knoten-Stab-Schubfeld-Ansatz) was developed, considering crucial aspects of the redesign process, such as the systematic and objective interpretation and redesign. This approach has five recurring main substructures. Depending on these substructures, a knowledge-based process model is introduced to enable more systematic redesigns.