Why traditional testing fails (and how DoE solves it)
In many industries, there's a strong drive to better understand and optimize processes, whether to improve quality, increase efficiency, or both. That could mean tweaking a production line, brewing the perfect cup of coffee, or optimizing a semiconductor module. In all these cases, you need experiments to learn what works and what doesn’t.
But experimentation takes time and resources. So how do you decide which tests to run? How do you avoid missing key insights or drawing the wrong conclusions? Without a structured approach, it’s easy to waste effort on trials that don’t provide the answers you need.
How to design efficient experiments that deliver insight
What’s needed is a structured way to choose your experimental settings. One that guarantees reliable results and supports robust analysis.
The challenge is not just to run tests, but to design them efficiently, so that you get maximum insight with minimum effort. When done right, this structured approach gives you deep understanding of the underlying system or process.
What is DoE and how does it reduce cost and error?
Design of Experiments (DoE) helps you get the most out of a limited number of tests. By combining variables in a smart way, you reduce the number of experiments needed, while still uncovering which factors really matter.
DoE is used in:
- Product development – to create robust designs faster
- Manufacturing – to fine-tune processes and reduce waste
- Clinical trials – to test interventions efficiently
- Scientific research – to uncover real patterns in complex data
- UX/UI design – to optimize features and user behaviour
It helps you:
- Identify key drivers of variation or success
- Quantify their impact
- Make evidence-based design or process decisions
That’s why DoE is also a core component in the toolbox of Six Sigma, and part of the CQM toolkit for robust innovation.
How CQM applies DoE to accelerate innovation
With over 45 years of experience in DoE, CQM helps clients make smarter, faster and more reliable technical decisions.
Our approach combines:
- Fewer tests, less downtime and lower cost
- Better insight into what really affects your process or product
- Greater confidence in your conclusions
Whether you’re developing a new product or improving a complex system, we help you accelerate innovation; fact-based, efficient and with reduced risk.
Want to get more out of your experiments? Contact us.
Get in touch with Jan or explore how we apply DoE in our Six Sigma training or product development projects/cases.
