May 5, 2011 -- The electronics industry is moving from being hardware-defined to being system-defined, while electronic products become increasingly application-driven. As a result, product differentiation has shifted to system (software-based) content, while hardware platforms and their development processes become more and more commoditized. Seizing new opportunities in this emerging segment requires expanding upon the foundations of the electronics industry. The needs of system developers must be addressed, and the responses to those needs must be integrated into a single solution.
The potential risks involved with schedule delays and product quality have become vast. Time-to-market pressures and the trend toward software-defined product functionality make the traditional sequential process, where system-on-chip (SOC) development is followed by board and device development and then by software development, obsolete. Meeting functionality, power, and performance as system bring-up occurs has become the most challenging task. System bring-up consumes one-third to one-half of the overall development cycle for many OEM companies, with product quality and predictability becoming the second and third priorities. System bring-up is a top OEM executive concern, as it can make or break the profitability of their products.

By Ran Avnium. (Avnium is with Cadence Design Systems, Inc.)