Abstract
The choice between the Schroedinger and Heisenberg pictures can significantly impact the computational resources needed to solve a problem, even though they are equivalent formulations of quantum mechanics. Here we present a method for analysing Bosonic quantum circuits based on the Heisenberg picture that allows, under certain conditions, a useful factoring of the evolution into signal and noise contributions, in a similar way as can be done with classical communication systems. We provide examples which suggest this approach may be particular useful in analysing quantum computing systems based on the Gottesman-Kitaev-Preskill (GKP) qubits.