It’s Transformation Time for Embedded Development - Part 4

Embedded Development Transformation in the Develop Phase

To see the definitions of each of the product development phases, take a look at the second post in this blog series. The develop phase is the main software construction occurs, where the code is produced.

Risks

This phase encompasses the full-out development and unit (even subsystem) testing of code for the project. Developer efficiency is key during this phase, as getting the most bug-free code implemented on time is the primary goal. Risks here can include:

• Difficulty with new technology such as multicore
• Poor or no tools to help with debugging, optimization
• Embedded OS issues that take away from time on new features
• Lack of access to hardware resources.

Transforming the Develop Phase

Mentoring and Training  – The development phase is where the serious coding takes place. Training your team on the tools and operating systems they are using is key to quick productivity. Mentoring and design services Training tailored to the reduces the time needed for developers to explore and experiment with new technologies and get them working and integrated.

Ubiquitous Access to Target Hardware – full system simulation with Wind River Simics provides access to the target platform for the entire team. No more booking lab time to test your software; developers can have their own virtual platform. This access to embedded target hardware greatly reduces developer wait time, so they can spend more time coding and testing and get more features done. Equally important is the super-powered debugging that is possible with full system simulation. Bugs can be traced back in time to find the source, and detailed system state information is available, as is full control of the execution of your application.

Scalable, Secure, and Safe Operating System Platforms – COTS solution stacks offer greater flexibility and scalability than custom-built, RYO solutions. In the development phase, being able to reuse subsystems within families of products is a huge productivity booster. Embedded solutions that already provide much of the needed OS and middleware capabilities provide the ideal starting point for product family development.

Integrated and Optimized Development Tools – The quality of the output from previous phases has a direct impact on how efficiently development teams move through the development phase. Using Wind River Workbench tools ensures high-quality, well-validated inputs to this phase. Wind River Diab Compiler, the most reliable and mature compiler in the industry, has a proven track record for generating robust, compact, and fast-executing code for thousands of designs and millions of devices, and is widely used in mission-critical applications such as automotive under-the-hood, industrial, and aerospace and defense systems.

In then next post, we’ll talk about the integrate phase where the testing and integration of the system begins.