Make the Right Layout Decisions Earlier

28 Sep 2026 • 3 minute read

Imagine planning a complex custom IC layout while several lower-level blocks are still being implemented. The top-level team must make early decisions about block organization, placement, area boundaries, connectivity, routing resources, and ownership, even though the final physical hierarchy is not yet complete.

When decisions are made with limited top-level context or early estimates, teams may later need to revisit pin positions, aspect ratios, placement, or routing. Virtuoso Design Planner provides a structured methodology that uses schematic hierarchy, Virtual Hierarchy, connectivity analysis, placement planning, and congestion analysis to develop an informed early design plan and prepare it for team implementation.

Why Early Design Planning Is Essential

Physical design planning is a critical stage in complex custom IC layout. Traditional bottom-up and top-down approaches each provide useful structure, but they can also introduce challenges when lower-level work proceeds without sufficient full-design context or when top-level decisions rely on estimates that later change.

How Virtuoso Design Planner Supports Early Layout Planning

Virtuoso Design Planner is a connectivity-based planning capability within Virtuoso Layout Suite EXL. It helps layout teams generate and organize a layout plan, examine hierarchy and connectivity, refine placement, and analyze congestion before detailed implementation is complete.

Training Course Offering on Design Planner

Cadence Customer Education offers a hands-on training course to help layout professionals use Virtuoso Design Planner effectively. Through structured learning and practical exercises, learners explore how to organize hierarchy, analyze connectivity, refine placement, evaluate congestion, and prepare a design plan for team implementation.

The hands-on labs reinforce these concepts through practical exercises covering:

Setting up the design planning environment
Generating and viewing virtual hierarchies
Analyzing net connectivity
Building an early design plan
Creating rows and running automatic placement
Running congestion analysis
Preparing the design for team implementation

The training features guided, practical labs centered on real-world custom IC layout scenarios. These activities enhance the course material by allowing learners to practice design-planning concepts, refine an initial design plan, and prepare for physical layout implementation in the Virtuoso environment.

Enroll in the Course

Ready to build a more informed layout plan before detailed implementation begins? Enroll in the Virtuoso Layout Pro: T9 Virtuoso Design Planner course to gain hands-on experience with Virtual Hierarchy, connectivity analysis, CSV-based Soft Block P-cells, placement refinement, congestion analysis, and team-oriented layout implementation.

View the VLPT9 course page and datasheet

Earn Your Badge

This training has a Digital Badge available. You can earn this badge by passing the exam for this course.

Take the Training Accelerated Way

The faster you finish your online training, the sooner you can claim your Digital Badge. Want to know how accelerated learning works? Our video walks you through the pre-quiz, navigation, and essential features. This is just the beginning. We're regularly adding new Accelerated Learning titles. Accelerated Learning courses are marked with this symbol in our Learning Maps.

Videos

Related Resources