Experimentation for Improvement from Coursera

We are always using experiments to improve our lives, our community, and our work. Are you doing it efficiently? Or are you (incorrectly) changing one thing at a time and hoping for the best?

In this course, you will learn how to plan efficient experiments - testing with many variables. Our goal is to find the best results using only a few experiments. A key part of the course is how to optimize a system.

We use simple tools: starting with fast calculations by hand, then we show how to use FREE software.

The course comes with slides, transcripts of all lectures, subtitles (English, Spanish and Portuguese; some Chinese and French), videos, audio files, source code, and a free textbook. You get to keep all of it, all freely downloadable.

This course is for anyone working in a company, or wanting to make changes to their life, their community, their neighbourhood. You don't need to be a statistician or scientist! There's something for everyone in here.

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Over 1500 people have completed this online course. What have prior students said about this course?

"This definitely is one of the most fruitful courses I have participated at Coursera, considering the takeaways and implementations! And so far I finished 12 [courses]."

"Excelente curso, flexible y con suficiente material didáctico fácilmente digerible y cómodo. No importa si se tiene pocas bases matemáticas o estadísticas, el curso proporciona casi toda explicación necesaria para un entendimiento alto."

"I wish I had enrolled in your course years ago -- it would have saved us a lot of time in optimizing experimental conditions." Jason Eriksen, 3 Jan 2017

"Interesting and developing both analytical and creative thinking. The lecturer took care to bring lots of real live examples which are fun to analyze." 20 February 2016.

"... love your style of presentation, and the examples you took from everyday life to explain things. It is very difficult to make such a mathematical course accessible and comprehensible to this wide a variety of people!"

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What's inside

Syllabus

Introduction

We perform experiments all the time, so let's learn some terminology that we will use throughout the course. We show plenty of examples, and see how to analyze an experiment. We end by pointing out: "how not to run an experiment".

Analysis of experiments by hand

The focus is on manual calculations. Why? Because you have to understand the most basic building blocks of efficient experiments. We look at systems with 2 and 3 variables (factors). Don't worry; the computer will do the work in the next module.

Using computer software to analyze experiments

Now we use free software to do the work for us. You can even run the software through a website (without installing anything special). We look at systems with 2, 3 and 4 factors. Most importantly we focus on the software interpretation.

Getting more information, with fewer experiments

This is where the course gets tough and rough, but real. The quiz at the end if a tough one, so take it several times to be sure you have mastered the material - that's all that matters - understanding. We want to do as few experiments as possible, while still learning the most we can. Feel free to skip to module 5, which is the crucial learning from the whole course. You can come back here later. In module 4 we show how to do *practical* experiments that practitioners use everyday. We learn about important safeguards to ensure that we are not mislead by Mother Nature.

Response surface methods (RSM) to optimize any system

This is the goal we've been working towards: how to optimize any system. We start gently. We optimize a system with 1 factor and we also show why optimizing one factor at a time is misleading. We spend several videos to show how to optimize a system with 2 variables.

Wrap-up and future directions

We close up the course and point out the next steps you might follow to extend what you have learned here.

Good to know

Know what's good

, what to watch for

, and possible dealbreakers

Develops skills in experimental design and analysis, which are core skills for experimental research and business applications

Explores statistical methods for efficiently designing and analyzing experiments, which is standard in many industries and research fields

Provides hands-on practice through interactive materials and downloadable software, enhancing learning and application

Taught by instructors Kevin Dunn with expertise in experimental design and optimization, lending credibility to the course content

Requires no prior knowledge in statistics or science, making it accessible to a wide range of learners

Course materials include slides, transcripts, subtitles, videos, audio files, and source code, providing a comprehensive learning experience

Reviews summary

Rewarding experimental improvement

Learners say this well-received course provides a comprehensive grounding in designing experiments. The course delivers engaging assignments that are largely positive, clear, and practical, helping learners prepare for real-world tasks. Students especially appreciate the excellent instructor, well-organized content, and useful R programming work. Advanced learners may find the material too basic.

Assignments are well-structured and provide valuable practice.

"This course is great! I have learned so much from factorial design to response surface methodology."

"The page of resources is very useful, it provides flexible R codes and beautifully designed practice problems."

"Fantastic course taught in a straightforward, logical manner."

Expert instructor provides clear explanations and prompt support.

"Great course! This course really made me think better. Thank you to Professor Dunn for offering this course. I highly recommend this course."

"The course is very helpful and practical. Kevin is a wonderful instructor and their team gives prompt replies to comments and feedback. Thank you."

"Excellent Course! Súper bien explicito, la atención del profesor en la resolucón de dudas excelente y rápida respuesta."

Course offers a thorough exploration of experimental design concepts.

"It is one of the best course present on coursera. I would recommend everyone to take this course. It will not only help you to optimize your activities in work place but also in your personal life."

"Amazing! Very useful information, very intense workload. It´s a difficult subject, very well explained."

"This course was very well planned. Congratulations to Kevin because he translated content considered difficult in a friendly way."

Learners gain practical skills through real-life examples and R programming.

"I would highly recommend this course to anyone who has an interest in research or simply like to experiment with things, this course would be a great help for people from any background and all the concepts are explained really well by Professor Kevin Dunn."

"I found this course very helpful to understand more about factors and how to meaningfully generate a relation between the outcome variable."

"Excellent course on experimental design focused on optimization."

Advanced learners may find the material too basic.

"I would have liked the course to be a little more rigorous statistically."

"That was a hard course. I did not expect to handle any numbers going into that course, however it did help improve my strategic thinking."

"good comprehensive course, sometimes I found the longer videos too wordy and hard to follow"

Activities

Be better prepared before your course. Deepen your understanding during and after it. Supplement your coursework and achieve mastery of the topics covered in Experimentation for Improvement with these activities:

Review Design of Experiments by Douglas Montgomery

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Learn the fundamentals of experiment design and statistical analysis essential for this course.

View Introduction to Probability and Statistics for... on Amazon

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Read chapters 1-3 to understand the basics of experiment design and statistical analysis
Review the examples and practice exercises to reinforce your understanding
Attend a class review session on experiment design

Complete the Coursera tutorial on Experiment Design

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Supplement your understanding of experiment design with additional resources and practice exercises.

Browse courses on Experiment Design

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Sign up for the Coursera tutorial on Experiment Design
Complete the tutorial at your own pace, watching the videos and completing the exercises
Take the quiz at the end of the tutorial to assess your understanding

Complete the practice exercises in the course textbook

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Reinforce your understanding of experiment design concepts by completing practice exercises.

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Identify the chapters in the textbook that cover the concepts you are struggling with
Complete the practice exercises at the end of each chapter
Check your answers against the answer key provided in the textbook

Four other activities

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Attend a peer study group

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Collaborate with peers to discuss and understand experiment design concepts.

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Join a peer study group or create your own
Meet regularly to discuss course material, work on practice problems, and prepare for exams
Share your knowledge and insights with your peers

Design and conduct your own experiment

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Apply the concepts you learn in this course to a real-world problem.

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Identify a problem or question that you want to investigate
Develop a hypothesis and design an experiment to test it
Collect data and analyze the results
Write a report on your findings

Create a video presentation on a specific topic in experiment design

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Deepen your understanding of a specific topic by teaching it to others.

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Choose a topic that you are interested in and that you feel confident explaining to others
Research the topic and gather information from credible sources
Organize your information into a logical and engaging presentation
Create a video presentation using software such as PowerPoint or Camtasia
Share your presentation with others and get feedback

Create a study guide that summarizes the key concepts from the course

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Organize and consolidate your course materials to improve your understanding and retention of the content.

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Review your notes, slides, and textbook readings
Identify the key concepts and main ideas from each topic
Summarize the information in a concise and organized manner
Review your study guide regularly to reinforce your learning

Career center

Learners who complete Experimentation for Improvement will develop knowledge and skills that may be useful to these careers:

Data Analyst

A Data Analyst designs and implements data collection systems and analyzes complex datasets for a wide range of applications. This course in Experimentation for Improvement will be a great tool in the toolkit of a Data Analyst. This course will help you learn how to analyze data to gain insights and make informed decisions. You will also learn how to use statistical software to analyze data. This course would be a great way to build a strong foundation in data analysis.

See salaries and explore the career path for Data Analyst

Quality Control Analyst

A Quality Control Analyst monitors and assesses the quality of products and services to ensure they meet customer specifications and industry standards. The Experimentation for Improvement course can provide valuable insights into the principles and practices of quality control. Through this course, you will gain a comprehensive understanding of experimental design, data analysis, and process optimization techniques. These skills will empower you to effectively evaluate and improve quality systems, ensuring the delivery of high-quality products and services.

See salaries and explore the career path for Quality Control Analyst

Operations Research Analyst

An Operations Research Analyst uses mathematical and analytical techniques to solve complex problems in business and industry. This course in Experimentation for Improvement can provide a solid foundation for individuals aspiring to become Operations Research Analysts. The course covers fundamental principles of experimental design, data analysis, and optimization techniques. By understanding how to design and conduct effective experiments, you will be well-equipped to analyze data, identify patterns, and develop solutions to optimize business processes and decision-making.

See salaries and explore the career path for Operations Research Analyst

Statistician

A Statistician collects, analyzes, interprets, and presents data to inform decision-making. The Experimentation for Improvement course can provide a solid foundation for individuals interested in pursuing a career as a Statistician. This course will introduce you to the fundamental principles of experimental design, data analysis, and statistical inference. You will learn how to design and conduct experiments, analyze data, and draw meaningful conclusions from the results.

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Process Engineer

A Process Engineer designs, develops, and implements processes to improve efficiency and productivity in manufacturing and other industries. This course in Experimentation for Improvement can provide valuable insights into the principles and practices of process engineering. Through this course, you will gain a comprehensive understanding of experimental design, data analysis, and process optimization techniques. These skills will empower you to effectively evaluate and improve processes, ensuring optimal performance and efficiency.

See salaries and explore the career path for Process Engineer

Business Analyst

A Business Analyst analyzes business processes and systems to identify areas for improvement. The Experimentation for Improvement course can provide valuable insights into the principles and practices of business analysis. Through this course, you will gain a comprehensive understanding of experimental design, data analysis, and process optimization techniques. These skills will empower you to effectively analyze business processes, identify areas for improvement, and develop solutions to enhance efficiency and effectiveness.

See salaries and explore the career path for Business Analyst

Product Manager

A Product Manager is responsible for the development and management of products and services. The Experimentation for Improvement course can provide valuable insights into the principles and practices of product management. Through this course, you will gain a comprehensive understanding of experimental design, data analysis, and process optimization techniques. These skills will empower you to effectively evaluate and improve products and services, ensuring they meet customer needs and achieve market success.

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Consultant

A Consultant provides expert advice and guidance to organizations on a wide range of topics. The Experimentation for Improvement course can provide valuable insights into the principles and practices of consulting. Through this course, you will gain a comprehensive understanding of experimental design, data analysis, and process optimization techniques. These skills will empower you to effectively analyze situations, identify areas for improvement, and develop solutions to help organizations achieve their goals.

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Researcher

A Researcher conducts scientific research to advance knowledge and understanding in a particular field. The Experimentation for Improvement course can provide valuable insights into the principles and practices of research. Through this course, you will gain a comprehensive understanding of experimental design, data analysis, and process optimization techniques. These skills will empower you to effectively design and conduct research studies, analyze data, and draw meaningful conclusions to contribute to the advancement of knowledge.

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Data Scientist

A Data Scientist uses scientific methods and techniques to extract knowledge and insights from data. The Experimentation for Improvement course can provide a solid foundation for individuals interested in pursuing a career as a Data Scientist. This course will introduce you to the fundamental principles of experimental design, data analysis, and statistical inference. You will learn how to design and conduct experiments, analyze data, and draw meaningful conclusions from the results.

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Marketing Analyst

A Marketing Analyst analyzes marketing data to measure the effectiveness of marketing campaigns and identify opportunities for improvement. This course in Experimentation for Improvement can provide valuable insights into the principles and practices of marketing analysis. Through this course, you will gain a comprehensive understanding of experimental design, data analysis, and process optimization techniques. These skills will empower you to effectively evaluate and improve marketing campaigns, ensuring they achieve optimal results and maximize ROI.

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Financial Analyst

A Financial Analyst evaluates and makes recommendations on investments and financial decisions. The Experimentation for Improvement course can provide valuable insights into the principles and practices of financial analysis. Through this course, you will gain a comprehensive understanding of experimental design, data analysis, and process optimization techniques. These skills will empower you to effectively analyze financial data, identify trends and patterns, and develop investment strategies to maximize returns and minimize risks.

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Software Engineer

A Software Engineer designs, develops, and maintains software systems. The Experimentation for Improvement course can provide valuable insights into the principles and practices of software engineering. Through this course, you will gain a comprehensive understanding of experimental design, data analysis, and process optimization techniques. These skills will empower you to effectively design and develop software systems, ensuring they meet user requirements, are efficient, and maintainable.

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Systems Analyst

A Systems Analyst analyzes and designs computer systems to meet the needs of an organization. The Experimentation for Improvement course can provide valuable insights into the principles and practices of systems analysis. Through this course, you will gain a comprehensive understanding of experimental design, data analysis, and process optimization techniques. These skills will empower you to effectively analyze and design systems that are efficient, effective, and meet the needs of the organization.

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Technical Writer

A Technical Writer creates and maintains technical documentation, such as user manuals, white papers, and training materials. The Experimentation for Improvement course can provide valuable insights into the principles and practices of technical writing. Through this course, you will gain a comprehensive understanding of experimental design, data analysis, and process optimization techniques. These skills will empower you to effectively communicate complex technical information to a variety of audiences.

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