What is response surface methodology (RSM)?
Definition
Response surface methodology (RSM) is a set of statistical techniques that uses a sequence of designed experiments to fit a simple model, usually a second-order polynomial, linking several input variables to a response. Engineers use the fitted surface to see how the response changes with each input and to find settings that improve performance.
Example
Once screening has narrowed a study to a few influential inputs, an engineer runs a central composite design: a factorial design plus center points and star points that extend each input beyond its range. A quadratic fitted to those runs captures curvature and interactions, and a lack-of-fit check shows whether the quadratic is enough or a more flexible surrogate is needed.
Sources
- NIST/SEMATECH e-Handbook of Statistical Methods, "Response surface designs," itl.nist.gov
- NIST/SEMATECH e-Handbook, "Central Composite Designs," itl.nist.gov