Skip to content

The reviews

Even the most experienced designer in the world can't escape it: mistakes are inevitable. Unless you work solo, integrating review phases as part of the design process is essential for the success of any system and product.

The peers

We all have designed different products and boards with various features working in different environments. Using the combined experience of your coworkers is a must to avoid repeating errors that you or they might have done in the past, and alert you before it is too late!

As a designer reviewing circuits and layout, you should feel the urge to go over it like it is your own and pay attention to every detail. There is no such thing as bad feedback and it is always better to get challenged now than realizing you were too proud on making the change which is now costing a delay to the product launch.

If something in the circuit isn't clear to your coworker, it could be that you did not make it self-explanatory. In this case, you should visit this section for ways to improve it.

Go ahead and create separate review sessions with your peers for:

  • reviewing the main features, block diagram of the board and selection of the major components
  • reviewing the schematics and circuit implementation
  • reviewing the part placement
  • reviewing the final layout.

The interdisciplinary teams

Never forget this: not only you are responsible for making a board that technically "works" but you need to guarantee it works as part of the system and product.

You should absolutely involve all people other than your peers in the review process, if they are themselves involved with the development process of the board or designing a piece of the system directly related to yours. They can be:

  • a mechanical or product design engineer working on the casing
  • a firmware developper implementing the code for one of the onboard controllers
  • a layout resource responsible to implement the physical circuit
  • a system integrator ensuring that all pieces communicate and fit with each other's.

It is essential to bug them repeatedly until open items of the reviews are closed before you release your board and get their sign of approval that it meets their expectations.

They will also greatly appreciate being part of the design reviews as it shows your commitment in building the right product, and not only designing the boards to your satisfaction.