Sensitivity analysis of iterative design processes

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Sensitivity Analysis of Iterative Design Processes

As design processes continue to increase in complexity it is important to base process improvement decisions on quantitative analysis. In this paper we develop an analytical approach to determining sensitivities of overall process time with respect to individual task durations and transitions. Two applications are used to illustrate this approach. First, sensitivities are ranked in a Pareto Analysis involving an ASIC design process to determine which process features have the greatest impact on the overall process time. Second, sensitivities are utilized as gradients in an optimization problem to determine the lower bound of the process completion time for a software design process. 1.0 Introduction Accompanying the explosive growth in complexity of hardware/software system designs is a corresponding growth in complexity of design processes. Along with the need to ensure that products are delivered at acceptable quality levels, there is also tremendous pressure to reduce the duration..