Reduce optimisation time and effort: Taguchi experimental design methods

Development and validation of new methods and technologies frequently require long periods of time and high costs to determine the optimal system. A commonly used approach to optimisation is the factorial method, where each variable is tested at every level of the other variables. An alternative approach is to modify the experimental design using a multifactorial approach. The Taguchi design method utilises orthogonal arrays, which distribute the variables in a balanced manner, thus greatly reducing the number of experiments required. We applied the Taguchi experimental design method to PCR optimisation, and significantly reduced the number of reactions required to create highly successful reactions. We found the Taguchi design method a valuable tool for the optimisation of multifactor experiments.