A waiver is a written argument that a finding is safe, approved by someone with authority to accept the risk, and it dies on its expiry date. RDC waivers follow the same shape as the general waiver process described in the CDC waiver policy topic of the CDC signoff methodology section of this course; this lesson covers what makes RDC waivers specific: the evidence they need and the ways they go stale.
Element | What good looks like |
|---|---|
The finding | Identified by report, run revision, and location, so the waiver cannot drift onto a different finding. |
The safety argument | Why this crossing is safe: settled quasi-static input, permanent tie-off, or synchronised release proven elsewhere. |
The evidence | The proof behind the argument: simulation results, coverage rows, configuration records, or analysis excerpts. |
The reviewer and date | A named approver with authority over the risk, and the approval date. |
The expiry | A date or a triggering condition, such as any change to the connected RTL, after which the waiver is void. |
The re-check plan | How the waiver is re-verified at renewal: which evidence must be reproduced. |
Review approves waivers one by one against their evidence, never in bulk, and records the expiry where the dashboard can see it. Expiry is automatic: an expired waiver re-opens its finding without debate, and renewal repeats the full review with fresh evidence, not a rubber stamp. A waiver whose RTL changed since approval has effectively expired even if its date has not: the safety argument was about the old structure.
The review checks that no defect is closed by waiver, that each waiver maps to exactly one finding, and that waiver evidence is itself current: simulation results on final RTL, coverage rows that still exist, configuration records matching the taped-out configuration. Waivers referencing stale runs or draft intent go back for rework.
Send back. The evidence is stale: the current RTL may have moved the crossing the argument was about. Reproduce the evidence on final RTL first.
No. The safety argument described the old structure, so the change voids it regardless of the calendar date. Re-open the finding and re-review.