Factorial Design Builder

Plan and visualize multi-factor experimental designs

Design Configuration

Replicates increase precision and allow error estimation

Power Analysis (Optional)

Small: 0.2, Medium: 0.5, Large: 0.8

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What is Factorial Design?

A factorial design studies the effects of two or more factors simultaneously by testing all possible combinations of factor levels. This allows you to:

  • Estimate main effects of each factor
  • Detect interactions between factors
  • Be more efficient than one-factor-at-a-time experiments
Design Types
  • Full Factorial (2^k): Tests all combinations. For k factors with 2 levels each, requires 2^k runs. Provides complete information about all main effects and interactions.
  • Fractional Factorial: Tests a carefully chosen subset of combinations. Reduces runs but confounds some effects. Use when resources are limited and you can assume some interactions are negligible.
Main Effects vs Interactions
  • Main Effect: The average effect of changing one factor across all levels of other factors
  • Two-way Interaction: When the effect of one factor depends on the level of another factor
  • Three-way Interaction: When a two-way interaction depends on the level of a third factor (often negligible)
Example Applications
  • 2×2 Design: Testing two drugs (yes/no) × two doses (low/high)
  • 2×3 Design: Temperature (2 levels) × Catalyst (3 types)
  • 2×2×2 Design: Drug × Dose × Gender in clinical trial
  • Industrial: Temperature × Pressure × Time for manufacturing optimization