The NVM Insider, Issue 3 - Page 2 - Executive Opinion

Communication Is King

Tom Schild, VP of Worldwide Sales, Sidense

In this economic climate it is difficult to manage new design projects as priorities are adjusted and schedules changed. But it is also true if new design efforts were halted today, the negative impact to the future revenue of a semiconductor company would be devastating. Design managers are facing tough decisions, including prioritization, execution, and first-time design effectiveness with their current design team. These decisions relate directly to picking an IP partner who can not only cover current design project needs, but also the needs that future products will require. This might include working on second-source transfers, half-node process support for cost reductions, and dealing with design teams in geographically diverse locations.

Technical communication involves internally getting information from the design team to the IP engineers to assure that requirements can be met. However, this also means providing the IP information accurately from the IP vendor to widely separated engineers, perhaps working on the same design project in Europe, North America, and Asia, where different time zones limit the internal communication overlap to maybe a few hours of each working day. The IP vendor sometimes must force the technical issues to be addressed and communicated to all teams involved. Written communication has become the default method for doing this, with email being the primary means of implementing this communication; unfortunately this is not always the most effective way to assure that the email’s content is understood.

A standardized method of getting the information from the design lead and/or engineers on the project is essential. The IP vendor knows what questions are important to successfully integrate the IP into the design since the vendor most likely has heard similar concerns expressed by other companies within the same application segment. A confidential knowledge transfer document needs to form the conduit of relaying the technical project’s attributes. This information in written form can then be discussed with the design teams and used on conference calls. Of course, application notes, datasheets, and design files are part of the knowledge transfer process. However, a design review using a written document as its foundation forms the final assurance that the material was understood and that the IP transfer has occurred accurately. Our current economic situation has only re-enforced the need to assure first-time-right success, with communication still being fundamental to this goal.