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