Design of Experiments
with STAVEX (Part B)

The course explores advanced topics of Statistical Design of Experiments (DoE) that are crucial for addressing effectively the complexities and real-world challenges of practical problems. Participants learn how to simultaneously optimize conflicting objectives in Quality by Design (QbD), enabling them to define the Design Space even with multiple critical quality attributes (CQA’s), and to optimize formulations in e.g. pharmaceuticals, coatings, and cosmetics. Further factor restrictions and visually assessed responses are also treated. Moreover, the training provides strategies for handling common real-world difficulties such as hard-to-change factors, imprecise factor settings, failed experiments, and the efficient reuse of existing experimental data.

The course includes hands-on software demonstrations and PC-based exercises inspired by real industrial case studies, which offers an opportunity to acquire more practical experience, e.g. with interactive result visualization. Emphasis is placed on a good balance between clear methodological explanations and practical application, ensuring that all concepts are accessible – even to scientists with minimal statistical background. Mathematical formalism is avoided as much as possible.

While the course uses the intuitive, web-based DoE software tool STAVEX (for the intranet), most of the concepts discussed are not software-specific, so that the knowledge learnt is useful with other tools as well.