DARPA Initiative in Concurrent Engineering (DICE) Phase 4. Electronics Pilot Project Final Technical Report

This report describes the performance of a pilot project using DICE technology for the design of an electronics module. The project objectives were to assess the capability of the DICE technology to enable computer-based concurrent engineering and to provide recommendations for improvement. Four DICE software tools were used to design a high performance signal processor module. These tools consisted of the Electronic Design Notebook, the Project Coordination Board, Meeting on the Net, and the Communications Manager. The primary conclusion drawn from the project was that the DICE technology has a large potential to improve the product development process in terms of decreased product development cost, reduced cycle time, and improved product quality. The specific implementations of the four DICE tools evaluated in this pilot project, however, provided only a small portion of this potential. The numerous recommendations developed during the course of the project will, if incorporated into the DICE technology, help the technology reach its full potential.