Design process management in a CAD framework

An attempt is made to highlight some important features or wish lists for a comprehensive CAD framework. A study of existing design systems that aid in the design of ASICs shows that although they tend to provide extensive support to cater to issues at the lower end of the design spectrum, for example, efficient place and route tools, good module generation environments, etc., they still lack tools that would aid the designer at the higher end of the design spectrum. It is seen that by incorporating methods and methodologies for efficient design representation, design process tracking, etc., existing design systems can become more powerful, effective, and useful