This issue of IDA Research Notes
showcases IDA’s response to that
challenge, centered on the Design of
Experiments (DOE) methods championed
by the Director, Operational Test and
Evaluation in the Department of Defense
(DoD), for whom much of our work
was undertaken. DOE methods provide
structured, efficient, and scientific
approaches to test planning. They
provide objective methods for assessing
test adequacy not only by providing a
quantitative basis for assessing how much
testing is enough, but also by identifying
where in the operational space the test
points should be placed. DOE methods
also provide an analytical trade-space
between test resources and risk, ensuring
that tests are adequate to answer
important questions. IDA has developed
case studies, training materials, and
publications that have been instrumental
in shaping the T&E community’s approach
to applying DOE to operational testing.