Minitab Blog

Minitab + Effex: Why We Added Modern Experimentation Like OMARS

Written by Joshua Zable | Feb 17, 2026 1:00:02 PM

At Minitab, our culture is grounded in one principle: follow the best ideas. When we discover something that can meaningfully benefit our customers, we work to bring it into our ecosystem.

Design of Experiments has always been central to better decision-making in manufacturing, R&D, and process improvement. But as our customers’ challenges evolve, our capabilities must evolve with them. That’s why we’re excited to introduce advanced design methods, including proprietary OMARS experimental designs.

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What Are OMARS Designs and Why Do They Matter?

OMARS designs (Orthogonal Minimally Aliased Response Surface designs) address one of the most common challenges in real-world experimentation:

How can I identify the influential factors and determine their optimal settings to reach my goals?

 

The Problem OMARS Designs Solve

Many teams follow a familiar path:

  • Start with a screening design across all potentially influential factors
  • Identify the most important inputs
  • Run a second experiment with fewer factors to build a higher-fidelity model and recommend optimal settings

Traditional guidance often says: “Start with a screening experiment and follow it with a response surface experiment.”

In practice, that approach can require more testing than teams can realistically afford.

OMARS designs combine screening and response surface modeling into a single design, significantly reducing the number of runs required. They optimize run placement for the specific model you want to trust, enabling teams to move directly from factor discovery to optimization-ready models.

The result: better prediction where it matters most, fewer unnecessary tests, and lower experimental cost.

OMARS designs make learning continuous rather than sequential. Instead of resetting between phases, teams build forward with confidence.

 

When Statistical Rigor Meets Experimental Flexibility, Organizations Win

With Minitab’s expanded DOE capabilities, customers gain access to both proven traditional methods and modern experimental innovations. This broader portfolio helps organizations solve complex, real-world challenges more effectively and efficiently — without sacrificing rigor.

Ready to design smarter experiments? Talk to a DOE expert.