Noah Mays-Smith’s Design Notebook

Week One:

This week I created 2025 fall design notebook folder, created and presented the slideshow for our first meeting, and split the new members into their pairs for the RiSC-16 project. Next week, I plan on meeting with each of the teams, either all together or individually, to ensure they are set on the right track for the project. Additionally, I will create a page on the website dedicated to the RiSC-16 project, so that everyone can access information easily.

Week Two:

This week I:

  • Started reaching out to groups to try to meet with them directly and assess their progress
  • Created and sent out week 2 onboarding project slideshow. Working on week 3
  • Wrote my own pc file, and a testbench to go with it

Comments:

  • I met with the group leadership about splitting up the larger group project. I would rather be told what section to work on, rather than figure it out for myself, because I’m preoccupied by a lot of the onboarding work
  • I briefly discussed adding a new position for mini/medium project leader so that we can participate in hackathons, fun/showboating projects, or other related things
  • Thinking about having a whole team meeting next Monday to make sure everyone’s up to speed.
  • Going to send out week 3 onboarding slideshow ASAP. It’s going to be about the ALU, and pointing people in the direction of my testbench, so that they can try to write one for the ALU.

Week 3:

This week I:

Did presentation and made alu.v and alu_tb.v

Comments:

none

Week 4:

This week I:

  • Completed the testbench and module for the register file
  • Completed Github presentation with Darren
  • Kept tabs on some groups falling behind to catch them up to speed

Comments:

  • I was quite busy this week, and had trouble completing the testbench for the register file. I’m a little concerned that it isn’t 100% accurate, or that it isn’t in line with the exact specifications in the RiSC-16 Info Sheets
  • I decided not too assign any new work this week, and instead have people catch up, and show me their designs functioning with my testbench. I want to discuss their thought process while designing their modules, and also describe how I go about making the testbench.
  • There was no slideshow this week because there was no new module to make.
  • I don’t yet know what to choose for the next module, but I will figure that out in the next few days.
  • For the next module, I am considering writing the module and then having the groups write a testbench for it to make sure that it functions properly.

Week 5:

This week I:

  • Met with several groups to get them up to date
  • Fixed the register file so that it no longer took the full instruction
  • Created slideshow and assigned Data Memory file
  • Wrote module and testbench for Data Memory

Comments:

  • Finished a little early in the week, but forgot to submit DN

Week 6:

This week I:

  • Met with one more group to make sure they were finishing their work
  • Made the slideshow for the Instruction Memory and Control Files

Comments:

  • Did not have a lot of time to work on the project this week
  • Still need to have a meeting with Vito to figure out the direction of the VIP
  • Decided to combine the last 2 modules both because they’re fairly straightforward, and for the sake of finishing faster
  • Need to talk with Darren to figure out the transition to the larger project