Explainer

Design of Experiments vs OFAT in bioprocess development

OFAT feels simple because it limits cognitive load, but it often hides interactions and creates false confidence. DOE is not valuable because it is more formal. It is valuable because it changes the decision quality when the problem has interacting factors.

That does not mean every situation needs a large DOE. Many teams need a better question first: which factors deserve to enter the design, which ranges are plausible, and what throughput budget the team can actually support.

The right workflow is often: clarify the decision, narrow the factor set, then build a DOE that reflects the real operating regime instead of an idealized one.

See DOE consulting DOE matrix checklist