Tools and procedures for successful TPS management

The enormous costs associated with Test Program Sets are well known throughout the industry. Therefore, the successful management of a TPS development program is of crucial importance. This paper will attempt to encompass the various management issues involved in the TPS development process. To begin with, a careful review of the TPS must be effected during the bid process. Task evaluation tools are a distinct aid in management's ability to scope and estimate a TPS development task. Old fashioned engineering experience is used to check the results provided by these automatic tools. Once a job is won, rigid management controls must be kept in place to track the percentage completion against the formal plan (e.g. how often have we seen 90% of the available funds expended halfway through the technical effort). Software evaluation tools are a significant aid in keeping a development program on track. Management must try to balance its TPS staff between experienced engineers, middle range people and newer hires. The transfer of knowledge with such a mix is indeed beneficial. Management must look to create a broad experience base on different level UUT (i.e. systems, subsystems, modules, boards, etc.) spanning the overall circuitry spectrum (i.e. digital, analog, RF, etc.). Providing their designers with truly modem ATE software is a must. The operating system and test language must contribute features including incremental compilation, advanced edit/debug aids, links to major simulators and ATPGs, advanced fault isolation techniques, automated instrument programming, extensive use of graphics and more. Newer aids including analog simulators must also be made available by the TPS management team. Today another major factor to be addressed by management is the need to deal with TPS conversion from legacy ATE systems. The large investment in TPSs must be converted to modem ATE systems as the older ATE machines become totally unsupportable. These and other aspects of successful TPS management are the focus of this paper.