Design of Experiments

I love to cook. I am not always successful in turning out tasty dishes, however.

When I first learned about spices my modus operandi was to use a little bit of EVERY spice in the meal. The end result … a dog’s breakfast. I ended up wasting a lot of time, money and the patience of my family in the process.

Had I known about Design of Experiments, however; my learning curve may have been steeper (which is a good thing). Design of Experiments is a technique (used in the Plan Quality process) to combine project variables in groups and systematically change those variables until the desired outcome, a “blueprint” for the project emerges. That is the gist of what you need for the PMP exam.

For those of you looking beyond the exam and considering what Design of Experiments can do, consider it a discipline worthy of study if you are going into high-tech fields. As proof, several of my past students, members of the military working on weapons systems, described their experience working with Design of Experiments and how they were excited about transitioning into civilian life as several consulting companies were courting them to come and teach Design of Experiments to their clients.

Food for thought?

If any statisticians out there are familiar with and would like to discuss Design of Experiments, we welcome your comments.

As always, You Are Great!