An exclusive EE Times research program seeks to find out. Our research project is marshaling focus groups, global research of design teams and analysis to develop a clear picture of how design groups approach the implementation question, what their criteria are and what they ultimately decide.

In this first of two special reports on the challenges of choosing the right silicon solution, we review the results of our focus-group research. We consider the four main alternatives-cell-based ASICs, structured ASICs, FPGAs and ASSPs-and then examine the decisions of some real design teams in a series of case studies.

In a second special report, later this year, we will review the results of our global Web research program and will provide an analysis of three key questions. First, who in the design team decides on the implementation strategy? What are the factors-technical, financial and emotional-in their decision? And are there trends evident in the choices that real design teams around the world are making today?

We believe that by presenting these reports, we can help pool the thinking of designers and architects from across the globe. That can only help those who face these decisions now and those who will face them tomorrow.

EE Times thanks our Platinum sponsors for this program-Altera Corp., Faraday Technology Corp., Freescale Semiconductor Inc., LSI Logic Corp. and NEC Electronics America Inc.-as well as supporting sponsors Kawasaki LSI Inc. and Toshiba America Electronics Corp.