Planned experimentation is a powerful method for accelerating the rate of learning in improvement projects through the integration of systems thinking and statistical methods. This session presents an overview of planned experimentation with an emphasis on factorial designs. A variety of healthcare applications will be reviewed with a discussion of when factorial designs are appropriate. A case study using control charts and factorial designs in a series of PDSA cycles to reduce no-shows in specialty clinics will be presented.

After this presentation you will be able to:

• Explain the guiding principles for using planned experimentation in quality improvement.
• Describe potential opportunities for building planned experimentation into current improvement initiatives.
• Discuss the principles and methods for planning, running, and analyzing a factorial experiment.