Assuring correct data entry to generate shells for a semiconductor platform

A method of generating a correct shell, via a correct shell generation tool, for the design of a semiconductor product, the method comprising the steps of:

• (a) receiving and storing a definition of a platform from which the semiconductor product will be designed;
• (b) receiving and storing a customer's requirements and shell data for the semiconductor product;
• (c) receiving a first user input, said first user input provided by a user and requesting a shell to be generated for the design of the semiconductor product;
• (d) providing a field for entry of shell parameter data by the user;
• (e) receiving a second user input, said second user input including shell parameter data;
• (f) prior to generation of the requested shell, automatically determining if the shell parameter data is correct and complete, wherein determining if the shell parameter data is correct and complete includes checking the shell parameter data against the stored shell data, and further includes at least one of checking syntax of the shell parameter data against rules of a hardware description language, and checking if the entered shell parameter data complies with at least one of customer data conventions and corporate data conventions;
• when the correct shell generation tool determines that the shell parameter data is at least one of:
• incorrect and incomplete, prompting the user to provide a third user input including corrected shell parameter data;
• and
• when the correct shell generation tool determines that the shell parameter data is correct and complete, generating the requested shell.