Whether a single-board computer, an I/O board, an IP core or a complete system with mechanics, accompanying driver and BSP software shall be designed, the single steps towards the final product always follow dedicated rules. These rules and guidelines are part of an implemented quality management system (DIN EN ISO 9001 and EN 9100).
Quality in design is already a deciding factor for reliability of the product in operation. Software, hardware and IP-core design are therefore done according to the V-Model. The requirement specification leads to the architecture specification, then the system level to the component level, which finally leads to development, implementation and validation. During the design process, the reliability of the product has to be defined under given environmental impacts and for a desired period of time, such as by destroying the device under test under specified conditions. Also, safety management tools including requirement tracing or obsolescence management are used.
Apart from the design process itself, risk management, which deals with identification, analysis, prioritization and solution of all possible risks in technical, financial or personnel-related respects, is needed.
Standard Development Process
MEN defines standards and guidelines which are used during specification, design, verification and validation of a product. They include the methods of description of schematic drawings for example, or the specification and naming conventions. They further contain the guidance on design methods, like the design rules for:
- Maintainability
- Testability
- Robustness
- Production
- Product safety
Other prescriptions refer to the use of design tools, like the PCB layout, the selection of electronic components, the assessment of design alternatives, fail-safe and fault-tolerant design constructs or feedback processes.
Development Process according to EN 50155 and DO-254
Depending on the requirements of the application, design rules may become as complex as described in specific standards like EN 50155 (railways) or DO-254 (aerospace) to support customer certification and authority approval. In these cases additional design assurance methods must be applied, for example traceability, functional tests of all hardware functions, or specific environmental tests using timing analysis and functional failure path analysis.
