A Scalable, Customizable MCM Design Process Manager. Phase 1.

Despite the fact that multi-chip modules MCMs are a critical dual use technology, the rapid commercialization of MCM-based systems depends on achieving an order of magnitude reduction in NRE costs and development time as well as assuring first pass success in MCM design. Design process management is one key requirement to achieve dramatic reduction in cycle time. Phase I of this effort was devoted to creating a system concept and detailed design for a MCM Design Process Manager MCM-DPM, a software tool for managing collaborative design within a distributed heterogeneous design environment. This report presents the architecture, key components, functionalities, usage concept prototype, and implementation plan MCM-DPM. The unique aspects of the MCM-DPM include an integrated product-process representation, process tailoring to an organizations best practices and existing EDA environment multi-perspective design entry and process visualization, dynamically defined process flows, and design process tracking and guidance over multiple heterogeneous platforms.