Page 28 - Anatomy of a Robot
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The following might be included in the HLD for an embedded electronics system:
Hardware considerations: PROJECT MANAGEMENT 13
Block diagrams of boards, major chips, and buses
Documentation (PDF files) of major chipsets
Power and cooling plans
Connectors and all package breakouts
Preliminary layout and plans for the board fabrication.
Compliance issues
Software considerations:
Block diagram of major software modules
Performance estimates
Major algorithms
Interfaces to third-party software
Stack issues
Network issues
Operating system issues
License issues
General issues:
Reference specifications (files or URLs)
Application notes
Memory map
Interrupt map
EXECUTING THE PLAN
Executing the plan and actually developing the robot are up to the PM and the engi-
neers, and these tasks take up the bulk of the time during the project. Now we’re up to
the point where we’ve got a mandate to execute the project and a reviewed spec. We’ve
got people on board and a green light to proceed. So now what? Here’s some words of
advice on various topics:
Spec Get all parties to read the specification and the HLD. Listen to the senior
engineers (if there are any) about how to proceed. Don’t be afraid to move a cou-
ple of squares backward at this stage. If any senior engineer has significant ques-
tions about the spec or any part of the project as laid out, heed them well. The best
chance to make corrections occurs early in projects.
Leadership Even if you’re the only person on the project, you need to consider
how you will lead the project as a PM. Leadership is especially important when
more people are involved. Many books have been written on the subject that you
might consult, ranging from classics like Sun Tzu’s classic book The Art of War