Design Process Analysis: A Measurement and Analysis Technique

Abstract

The range of services provided by design automation computing centers covers a broad spectrum. At one end of this spectrum is the center which provides pure computation power only. It is the user's responsibility to select, install, and tune the applications as well as to debug the resultant output. At the other end, it is the turnkey center which provides a near total service, relegating the user to job selection from a fixed set of installed applications with which to accomplish the design task. The most effective design automation center combines the healthy attributes of these two extremes: buffering the user from I/S considerations, freeing him to concentrate on the design task; and providing the I/S center with application understanding and involvement to allow for proper system tuning. The management information technique to achieve the desired objectives of improved user productivity and cycle time is referred to as design process analysis (DPA). Detailed definitions of the data flow nodes as well as samples of the type of output obtainable from such a DPA system are covered in the presentation. Management of an effective design automation center is a demanding and ongoing task, combining the skill levels of people, the capabilities of the DA applications, and the processing power of the computer center. Tuning this combination in a disciplined and orderly manner to provide the most timely and cost effective solutions to design problems requires an automatic data collection system driving a dynamic model of the design process. Utilizing the techniques of design process analysis, such an objective can be met