Description

This DOE (design of experiments) mini-project gives you an opportunity to learn about designed experiments in a more hands-on manner. 

The project is not long, and should not be elaborate. You only have a few weeks to plan your experiments, perform them and then analyze the data. Some examples are given below, but you are free to choose any topic like optimizing a favourite recipe or dessert, a hobby or sport, or it could be related to work from another course project.

The intention is that you discover for yourself how important the following topics are in DOE. Once you have decided on a system to investigate you will be faced with questions such as: 

Which variables should we use? 

• What range should these variables cover? 

• How do we measure these variables (especially the response/y variable)? 

• What other variability is in the system, is it measurable, and is it controllable? 

• Choosing the type of experimental design (full factorial, fractional factorial), confounding pattern, and handling constraints. 

• How many experiments should be run, are replicates and/or center points possible, and how to randomize the runs. 

• Understand what George Box means when he says: "the best time to run an experiment is after the experiment".

 These are issues that are not easily reproduced or understood from assignment questions and exams.