There is a significant gap developing between device speed and performance, and overall system performance. Many devices have on-chip speeds 2 to 4 times that of the system. This limitation can be partly due to the design of the interconnect system. In many cases, however, the materials used to interconnect the components can be the determining factor in final system speeds. This paper will present the following: The different materials used in a system to interconnect components. How the materials individually effect signal and power management. How this collectively inter-relates to overall system performance. The composition of the materials used in the interconnect components (in both the IC packages and the printed circuit boards) will be described. Finally, guidelines and suggestions on how to test, when to test, and what to do with the data will be proposed. The intent is to provide an insight into an area that could lead to a competitive edge in production and technology.