Description

Critical Design Review Report (CDRR) is a technical report ensuring that the system under review can proceed into system fabrication, demonstration, and test; and can meet the stated performance requirements within cost (budget), schedule, and other system constraints, and relevant standarts. It is expected that essential parts of the system design should not change after the submission of this report.

The CDRR should provide:

    • A detailed description of the overall system supported by system and subsystem level block diagrams, flow charts, and technical drawings of the expected final product (preferably 3D), each on a separate page showing details. All control and data signals within the system should be illustrated clearly including any feedback paths. All the blocks and the signals should be clearly labelled.
    • A summary of any design modifications made on the system described in the conceptual design report with justifications. Justifications must also be provided for the parts that are unmodified with supporting material (e.g., test results, simulation results).
    • Detailed requirements, and relevant standarts of all sub-systems (you should follow a top-down approach, where high-level overview of the system is presented before the low-level details).
    • A discussion on the compatibility between sub-systems and their signal interfaces within the overall design. Justification of compliance with the relevant standards.
    • Justification that the designed system will satisfy the customer and engineering requirements.
    • Test results, encountered problems, and implemented/proposed solutions.
    • A discussion on the robustness of your design against expected error sources.
    • Updated cost breakdown and analysis (discussion on your choices among alternatives).
    • An up-to-date development schedule (with a Gantt Chart).
    • A power distribution diagram and a power management analysis (resources and consumption) for the system.

As a rule of thumb 75% to 90% of all product design should be complete. Note that, all critical module designs are expected to be frozen (100% completed) at this point.

General Reminders:

  • Software codes should not be given (only partially in appendices, if absolutely needed). Only Software architectural notes and details can be presented as a part of the main text.
  • Please avoid dumping data sheets, reference designs, etc. in the text as these are distracting from the focus of your report. Only segments from relevant data sheets can be given, and preferably in appendices.
  • Using illustrative diagrams, tables, and lists are strongly recommended over writing long explanatory texts.

Evaluation:
Evaluation Rubric for the CDRR can be found in the Rubrics sections.