OUTSOURCING AN IC DESIGN: SOME ADVICE FROM THE TRENCHES.

The article offers guidance on outsourcing an integrated circuit design (IC). It discusses the importance of selecting the right vendor as well as the creation of adequate project management structure as necessary conditions to the successful design of an IC. The cited criteria in selecting a vendor are technical capability, scalability, and economics while information included in the statement of work include price negotiations and architectural descriptions. Also noted is the importance of having different shops do the design work and the verification.