1. A computer-implemented method for automatically guiding a user through a design flow for an integrated circuit, the method comprising the steps of: (a) displaying a design flow user interface on a user's computer, where the user interface includes symbols corresponding to design flow process steps; (b) defining the design flow process steps with a set of rules, and analyzing whether user input for each step complies with the rules; and (c) allowing the user to proceed to a next step if it is determined that previous steps have been completed successfully.