Design techniques with microprocessors

Abstract

Before any design or development activities can take place on a microprocessor project, some essential preparations have to be made. First, the objective of the project, which is really the customer's objective, must be fully documented. It is no use designing the perfect answer to the wrong problem.

Second, various operational, functional and system specifications are needed. Before design and development begins, each and every subsystem should be specified. The relationships of hardware and software must be defined, as should, surprisingly enough, the maintenance and support needed. Difficulties of support may make the design untenable. Finally, a mechanism will be needed to implement changes in specification as they occur and also to feed back any difficulties from the design and development unit. It is only then that a project is ready for design and development work.

The control of microprocessor projects is made easier by the use of comprehensive systems specifications. Mechanisms will be needed to report changes in specifications or design up and down the chain of command.

There are considerable problems of control caused by the very nature of microprocessor activity. There is a need for the skills of hardware design and development and similarly for software production. The careful control of these two and the organization of testing facilities is a full-time task for a project manager. The end result of this is the identification of five skills: project management, systems design, programming, electronics design and electronics assembly.

To take a team made up of these mixed, abilities into a totally alien environment would be to court disaster. The novice team will need training, support and above all information. Success centres around the quality of the subsystem specifications and the ability of the project team to carry them through.