To become an ASIC Verification Engineer from zero to advanced, you can
follow a structured roadmap. This includes learning digital electronics, HDLs,
verification methodologies, tools, and gaining hands-on experience. Here's a
complete step-by-step guide, ideal even for beginners.
🔰 PHASE 1: Understand the Basics (Month 1–2)
✅ Topics to Learn:
Digital Electronics Fundamentals
o Logic gates, multiplexers, decoders
o Flip-flops, counters, FSMs
o Timing diagrams, setup/hold time
Number Systems & Boolean Algebra
Introduction to VLSI Design Flow
o Specification → RTL → Verification → Synthesis → Fabrication
📘 Resources:
NPTEL Digital Circuits (Free)
All About Circuits
Book: “Digital Design” by Morris Mano
🧠 PHASE 2: Learn Hardware Description Languages (Month 3–4)
✅ Focus on:
Verilog HDL (preferred for ASIC)
o Modules, always blocks
o Blocking vs Non-blocking
o FSM design, testbenches
SystemVerilog Basics
o Data types, interfaces, classes, constraints
Practice:
EDA Playground (Free cloud IDE)
Write simple modules and testbenches
📘 Resources:
Book: “Verilog by Example” – Blaine Readler
Website: EDA Playground
NPTEL: VLSI Design by Kamakoti
⚙️PHASE 3: Advance to Verification (Month 5–6)
✅ Learn SystemVerilog for Verification:
OOP Concepts in SV (class, inheritance, polymorphism)
Randomization & Constraints
Functional Coverage
Basic UVM Concepts
📘 Resources:
Book: “SystemVerilog for Verification” – Chris Spear
UVM Tutorial (ASIC World)
Doulos UVM Intro videos
🔄 PHASE 4: Master Verification Methodologies (Month 7–8)
✅ Focus on UVM (Universal Verification Methodology)
UVM Environment, Agents, Driver, Monitor, Scoreboard
Sequences, TLM ports/exports
Factory pattern, configuration DB
Practice:
Build UVM testbenches for small designs
Use EDA Playground or install QuestaSim/VCS (student license)
📘 Resources:
Book: “UVM Primer” – Ray Salemi
UVM Cookbook (from Accellera)
YouTube: “UVM Tutorials” by VLSI Academy or Doulos
🧪 PHASE 5: Real Project & Tools (Month 9)
✅ Hands-On:
Verify a basic protocol (e.g., SPI, UART, AXI)
Create assertions (SystemVerilog Assertions – SVA)
Use tools like:
o QuestaSim/ModelSim (Simulation)
o Verdi (Debugging)
o JasperGold or SpyGlass (Formal verification, linting)
📘 Mini Projects:
Build UVM environment for:
o ALU
o UART Controller
o AXI Lite Slave
🎯 PHASE 6: Resume + Job Prep (Month 10)
✅ Prepare:
Build a strong resume with projects
Add GitHub repository of your verification work
Learn about ASIC interview questions:
o SystemVerilog/UVM questions
o Debug scenarios, FSM questions
o Assertions, Coverage, Testbench
📘 Interview Prep Resources:
VLSI Interview Questions
LinkedIn Groups & Discord VLSI communities
🚀 Bonus Tips:
1. Daily Practice (1–2 hrs) is better than cramming.
2. Join Forums – like “VLSI Slack” or “VLSI Discord”
3. Open Source Projects – Look for “RISC-V verification” or open RTL
projects.
4. Certifications (Optional):
o Doulos SV/UVM training
o Udemy or VSD-VLSI SystemVerilog courses
Would you like a personalized study schedule (based on your daily available
hours)?
Perfect! The roadmap you've shared is comprehensive and well-structured. To
complete this in 6 months, we’ll create a condensed, weekly plan with a
focus on job-ready skills, practical knowledge, and interview prep.
🎯 Goal: Become a Job-Ready ASIC Verification Engineer in 6 Months
📅 Weekly Plan Overview (Study ~2 hours/day)
📍 Month 1: Digital Logic + Verilog Foundations
Week 1-2:
Basic Digital Logic Design
o Gates, flip-flops, FSMs, timing analysis
Advanced Logic
o Datapath, pipelining, memory/control units
Week 3-4:
HDLs: Verilog
o RTL design, testbenches
o Practice on EDA Playground
Mini Projects: ALU, Counter, FSM
📍 Month 2: SystemVerilog + CPU Concepts
Week 5-6:
SystemVerilog Basics
o Data types, interfaces, classes
CPU Architecture
o Register file, pipelining, cache
Week 7-8:
SystemVerilog Advanced
o Constraints, randomization
o Functional coverage basics
📍 Month 3: UVM & Verification Methodologies
Week 9-10:
UVM Essentials
o UVM env, agent, driver, monitor
o Factory, configuration DB
Week 11-12:
Verification Flow
o Stimulus → DUT → Scoreboard
o Boundary value & random testing
📍 Month 4: Assertions + Formal Verification
Week 13-14:
SVA (SystemVerilog Assertions)
o Immediate & concurrent assertions
o Debugging using assertions
Week 15-16:
Formal Verification
o Equivalence checking, properties
o Model checking basics
📍 Month 5: Tools + Scripting + Debugging
Week 17-18:
Simulation Tools
o ModelSim, QuestaSim (install free/student version)
Scripts for automation
o Python + Shell scripting basics
Week 19-20:
Debugging Skills
o Logic analyzer, root cause analysis
o Bug triaging, protocols
📍 Month 6: Project + Resume + Job Prep
Week 21-22:
Mini Project:
o UVM Testbench for UART/SPI
o Assertions, coverage
Week 23-24:
Job Prep
o Resume (highlight projects + GitHub)
o Mock interviews, common questions
o LinkedIn + VLSI forums networking
🚀 Tools to Use Throughout:
EDA Playground – Practice code
QuestaSim – Simulation
Verdi (if available) – Debug
GitHub – Upload projects
Google Drive/Docs – Maintain notes
📘 Optional but Useful Resources:
Book: “SystemVerilog for Verification” – Chris Spear
Book: “UVM Primer” – Ray Salemi
YouTube: VLSI Academy, Doulos UVM
Course: VSD SystemVerilog
Would you like this in PDF format or as a downloadable study planner
template?
