Trace spoke ยท design exercise

Browser-based PCB Validator

A customer opens the validator from a Trace order, sees the board, gets findings they can act on, and hands priceable results back to the order. The customer fixes the PCB in their own EDA tool; the spoke validates and returns the result.

Deliverable 01

Mockups

Four screens: package overview, validation workspace, finding resolution, and results handoff. Each screen has a short explanation above the frame.

Open mockups โ†’
Deliverable 02

Architecture

The spoke and its relationship with Trace, including components, responsibilities, and the main data flows.

Open architecture โ†’
Deliverable 03

Decision notes

Six decisions: architecture, processing, ownership, finding resolution, data lifecycle, and the MVP boundary.

Open decisions โ†’
The line that matters: original package files stay in Trace. The spoke keeps normalized geometry, validation runs and derived artifacts. Findings are authored by the spoke but scoped to the order, so checkout can block on them.

Design exercise for Alpha Machines. Screens are wireframes, not a finished product.