Hypergraph partitioning for VLSI CAD: Methodology for heuristic development, experimentation and reporting

We illustrate how technical contributions in the VLSI CAD partitioning literature can fail to provide one or more of: (i) reproducible results and descriptions, (ii) an enabling account of the key understanding or insight behind a given contribution, and (iii) experimental evidence that is not only contrasted with the state-of-the-art, but also meaningful in light of the driving application. Such failings can lead to reporting of spurious and misguided conclusions. For example, new ideas may appear promising in the context of a weak experimental testbed, but in reality do not advance the state of the art. The resulting inefficiencies can be detrimental to the entire research community. We draw on several models (chiefly from the metaheuristics community) for experimental research and reporting in the area of heuristics for hard problems, and suggest that such practices can be adopted within the VLSI CAD community. Our focus is on hypergraph partitioning.