Factors for success in SoC design

The author discusses the various factors which should be taken into account for the successful design of a system-on-chip (SoC). These factors result from the merging of software and hardware disciplines and include: the use of the SpecC to implement quickly and easily executable specification and behavioral description creation; the productivity gain from working at higher levels of abstraction; IP reuse; architectural exploration performed quickly and products produced to specification; customers should quickly receive functional models and verify end systems, before costly changes are required.