Application of a big business project management tool to visualize microprocessor resource usage

Current microprocessors have the capability of manipulating many internal resources concurrently. Optimizations achieved through intelligent compilers will not incorporate specific algorithm knowledge available only to the developer and applicable in one-off situations. Hand optimization is difficult because of the issue of reliably identifying all of the resource interrelationships. In this paper we will demonstrate the use of Microsoft Project to assist with the visualization of bottlenecks in the implementation of high-speed DSP algorithms. The visualization permits easier investigation of the relative successes of a variety of code optimization techniques across various architectures - an approach useful for both teaching and research applications.