In a recent survey, we asked the following question: What steps do you take to make the job easier for your fabrication and assembly providers? Here are a few of the answers, edited slightly for clarity.
1. Try not to overly constrain the CM and board shop.
2. Provide both Gerbers and ODB++ or IPC-2581 files.
3. Keep tracks and gaps no smaller than they need to be.
4. Check with the manufacturer about any special requirements.
5. Put a test point on every node (if possible).