Aiming at the damping placement and parameter optimization design for vibrating systems, the step by step optimization method is used. The placement sensitivity of the modal damping coefficient on the genera damped structure is investigated. The mathematical model of optimal damper placement is established, and the optimal placement of damper is searched based on the placement sensitivity of the modal damping coefficient; the weight of the damper and the damping coefficient are considered as the main object, the objective function is founded using the norm of the minimum energy structure, The numerical calculation and analysis are carried out for a spring-mass oscillation system and a shell structure and the parameters optimization of the damper in the known best position is obtained. The results are shown that the new approach is important in controlling the dynamic performance of the structure.