Let’s get 2009 started on a good note. Happy new year to everyone and I hope it will bring you what you are looking for.

By now, we all know that 2008 was a recession year and analysts are forecasting that it will continue into 2009. So, should we expect a bumpy year in general for people designing hardware and software? Most likely the answer is “yes.” But, I also believe that such years are a good platform for discussing and evaluating what needs to change. Hardware and software design should not be left out of this. A recent NPR report made me think about the opportunity these tough economic times provide.

The report was about recycling. With the economy slowing down and being in a recession, the demand for recyclable materials has been reduced and recyclable material is being stored in warehouses until the demand increases again. The point of the report that was interesting to me was not necessarily the recycling aspect, but the fact that the people interviewed were talking about how they needed to adapt and change the way things are done in this industry with one interviewee pointing out that an economic downturn was necessary to force the change.

So, does this apply to electronics (hardware and software) design? Why wouldn’t it? It absolutely should be the time for the industry to review and implement new design and development approaches. Traditional approaches using RTL and using physical hardware have reached their limitations, but without the pressing need to reduce costs due to high demand, the industry may not have felt compelled to strongly research and implement the required changes. Now is the time, multicore designs are creating havoc, cost reductions and doing more with less resources is pushing it forward.

Let me know what you think!