ESAD: An Intensive Retreat Program for Embedded System Architect Developing

This is a report of the Embedded System Architect Developing (ESAD) program that is currently being conducted in Hamamatsu city, Shizuoka prefecture in Japan. The program has been designed for limited experienced practitioners who expect to be Embedded System Architect (ESA) in the future. In an intensive retreat environment, this program provides future ESAs with a project-based curriculum that covers software engineering, process control systems, and systems engineering. The aim of the program is not only to encourage a deeper understanding of the relevant technology, but also to promote the development of an inter-industry engineers´ community in the Hamamatsu area. The program has been conducted three times during 2008 and 2009, with approximately twelve future ESAs participating in each cycle. The beneficial effects of ESAD have been confirmed by observation and feedback from the program participants.