CS6886: Systems Engineering for Deep Learning

A practical, project-based course on end-to-end systems design for Deep Learning, taught from the perspective of Computer Architecture.


Instructors
Gopalakrishnan Srinivasan SSB 202, Department of Computer Science and Engineering, IIT Madras
e-mail: sgopal@cse.iitm.ac.in
Introduction

This course is a practical and project based introduction to end-to-end systems design challenges in Deep Learning from the perspective of Computer Architecture. It covers topics from three fields: Machine Learning, Compilers, and Architecture. It targets self-motivated graduate students and upper-level undergraduates interested in pursuing the area in greater depth, potentially for a research project or thesis.

It is not a traditional lecture-and-exam course. Instead, it features in-class tutorials, hands-on assignments, and a significant course project. Students are expected to do original work that can potentially be extended even beyond the course itself.


"I hear and I forget. I see and I remember. I do and I understand."
- Confucius

Evaluation
Component Weight
Course Project 40%
Best of 4 out of 5 assignments (10% each) 40%
Mid sem Exam (October 12th, 2026) 20%
Time Table & Location

Taught in the H slot, in the CS24 of the CSE Department:

Day Time
Monday14:00 – 15:15
Tuesday15:30 – 16:45
Thursday17:00 – 17:50
Class Schedule (Tentative)
Week Dates Important Dates Topic and Lecture Slides Assignments Paper Reading
Week 1 Jul 27 - 31 Intro to Computer Architecture Value prediction & In-order execution (Presentation)
Week 2 Aug 3 - 7 Scaling and Dark Silicon Ara2 Titan
Week 3 Aug 10 - 14 15/08/2026 (Independence Day) Intro to Deep Learning Assignment-1 ResNet
Week 4 Aug 17 - 21 Transformer arch & algorithm optimization Attention Transformer (Presentation)
Week 5 Aug 24 - 28 Algorithm optimizations VENOM
VENOM presentation
Week 6 Aug 31 - Sep 4 30/08/2026 Assignment 1 Deadline.
02/09/2026 Assignment 2 Release.
Quantization & Knowledge distillation Assignment-2 HAWQ
HAWQ Presentation
Week 7 Sep 7 - 11 08/09/2026 Assignment 2 Deadline.
09/09/2026 Assignment 3 Release.
Week 8 Sep 14 - 18 15/09/2026 Assignment 3 Deadline.
Week 9 Sep 21 - 25 Project proposal starts
Week 10 Sep 28 - Oct 2 Project proposal (continue).
28/09/2026 - Assignment 4 Release.
Week 11 Oct 5 - 9 05/10/2026 - Assignment 4 Deadline.
06/10/2026 - Assignment 5 Release.
Week 12 Oct 12 - 16 12/10/26 (Mid Sem).
13/10/26 - Assignment 5 Deadline.
Week 13 Oct 19 - 23
Week 14 Oct 26 - 30 Final Project report and code upload deadline
Week 15 Nov 2 - 6 Project presentation.
Week 16 Nov 9 Project presentation (continues).
Exam Slot Nov 20 Project presentation (continues).
Previous student projects (2025) Student Projects (Google Sheet)
Teaching Assistants