Design of experiments (DOE) in the semiconductor industry

The author describes the educational component of Digital Equipment Corporation's DOE program. It provides the necessary DOE education via 3 1/2-hour modules. The first module outlines the major steps in any planned experiment. Each subsequent module is driven by workshops with four simultaneous case studies. The 'how to' set of instructions converts each technique into a process. Participants discover the underlying concepts and this helps reinforce their on-the-job implementation. Reports of findings help improve participants' presentation skills and foster dialogue. Modules are supplemented by computer labs lasting two hours each. Each experimenter and his her manager is given a list of questions to ask before and during experimentation to help avoid unpleasant surprises. Each experiment is summarized using a case study report form to foster communication and generate new ideas for further experiments. As a result, 95 participants have graduated in the last 15 months of the program, and a number of nonstatisticians have implemented many very good experiments.<
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