Issue link: https://iconnect007.uberflip.com/i/1348195
12 DESIGN007 MAGAZINE I MARCH 2021 Feature Interview by the I-Connect007 Editorial Team e I-Connect007 editorial team recently met with Jen Kolar and Mark ompson of Monsoon Solutions to discuss ways to elimi- nate bad data from the design process, whether that be from CAD libraries, parts vendors, chip makers, or customers themselves. ey key in on some problems and obstacles that allow incorrect data into the design cycle, and then highlight possible solutions. Barry Matties: ere are just so many places where you can introduce bad data into the design cycle. And as you both know, one of the biggest challenges is to get the data that you really need to be accurate right from the start. And, if it's wrong at the beginning, it's wrong all the way through. Jen Kolar: It's like any additive process, where the errors are added along the way. You have garbage in, garbage out in each step along the way. Maybe you have a thoughtful front-end The Key to Eliminating Bad Design Data: Constant Vigilance designer who does a thoughtful design and gives really good input, but you have a PCB designer who's sloppy and leaves half the detail out of the fab notes. Maybe it was good data into them, but they didn't translate all that to the fab shop. Or maybe they had good data from one point, but you have those additive errors. Maybe there was a partial error at the beginning, but it just builds and builds, and gets worse and worse. Matties: e thing is, if it's good at one point, you have so many different points where it can go off the rails. It could be a combination of good data here, bad data there. Kolar: I couldn't agree more, and I think part of it is dependent on who's driving the sched- ule in a project; a lot of times, the people driv- ing the schedule just care that it's started. You have management saying, "Start," so who- ever is designing the project is saying, "Okay. I'm still figuring out my electrical design, but I've been told to put it in schematic." You can end up with a project that takes a lot longer,