Re: More Best Practices for Engineers

1. Always have a top block diagram, in your schematics and in your FPGA
code
2. Follow the System Engineering Design Process Model
3. Document, Document, Document your work
4. Modularize your work
5. Try a Top Down design approach instead of Bottom Up
6. Ask for Peer Reviews and code walk throughs
7. If a standard exits then follow it.
8. Manage time, don't let time manage you.


9) Go easy on the beer at lunch.

10) Let the wire cool off before you clip the scope probe back on it.

11) Don't breadboard. Don't simulate. They just waste time and dilute
the excitement.

12) When you're really, really behind schedule, take a break.

13) Avoid machining.

14) Source terminate.

15) Orthogonality is your pal.

16) Ground everything, as many places as possible.

17) You're using too many bypass caps, and you don't have enough test
points.

18) Never implement your first idea.

19) Packaging.


20) There are at least ten different types of capacitors. Learn the
differences.

21) Emitter followers just can't oscillate, but they do.

22) If you can't get the part from at least three independent sources,
consider carefully if you can't do it another way.

23) Annual vacation is meant to restore your mind -- annually, not saved up
for twenty years. Go where noone can find you. Do not use vacation to
paint the house.

24) Dilbert is a documentary (stolen, but I can't remember where).

25) Engineering is an early morning pop quiz and late afternoon lab every
day for the rest of your life.

Jim


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