CLSSGB-001 practice question 16 of 30

A Belt will occasionally do a quick experiment referred to as an OFAT which stands for ____________________.

Full set: 200 questions
Answer options
A: Only a Few Are Tested
B: Opposite Factors Affect Technique
C: One Factor At a Time Correct answer
D: Ordinary Fractional Approach Technique
Correct Answer:
C. One Factor At a Time
Explanation

OFAT stands for "One Factor At a Time." It is a traditional, intuitive method for experimentation where a practitioner systematically changes the level of one input factor while holding all other factors constant to observe the effect on the output. While simple to execute, this approach is generally considered inefficient and can be misleading because it fails to detect interactions between factors. In modern process improvement methodologies like Six Sigma, OFAT is often contrasted with more robust methods like Design of Experiments (DOE), which vary multiple factors simultaneously to gain a more comprehensive understanding of the process.

Why Incorrect

A. Only a Few Are Tested: This describes a small sample size or a limited scope, which is a characteristic of a quick experiment but not the definition of the OFAT methodology.
B. Opposite Factors Affect Technique: This is not a recognized term or acronym within the field of experimental design or Six Sigma.
D. Ordinary Fractional Approach Technique: This is an invented term that incorrectly combines concepts. OFAT is a distinct and simpler approach than fractional factorial designs.

References

1. Montgomery, D. C. (2017). Design and analysis of experiments (9th ed.). John Wiley & Sons. In Chapter 5, Section 5-1, Montgomery introduces the factorial design concept by contrasting it with the "one-factor-at-a-time" (OFAT) approach, describing OFAT as a method where factors are varied individually.

2. Czitrom, V. (1999). One-Factor-at-a-Time versus Designed Experiments. The American Statistician, 53(2), 126–131. The article's abstract and introduction define OFAT as an experimental plan where "one factor is varied at a time while the other factors are held fixed." DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/00031305.1999.10474445

3. Pennsylvania State University. (n.d.). STAT 503: Design of Experiments. Eberly College of Science. In Lesson 4: The 2k Factorial Design, the course material explicitly contrasts factorial experiments with the "one-factor-at-a-time (OFAT) approach," noting its inability to estimate interactions.

Scroll to Top