Another Look at Dorian Shainin's Variable Search Technique

An in-depth analysis of Dorian Shainin's variable search (VS) method is carried out. Conditions under which the VS approach does and does not work well in comparison with traditional designs are identified. Explicit expressions for the expected number of runs and the probability of correct screening are derived under stated assumptions. The crucial roles of process knowledge and noise variation in successful application of the VS design are established through theoretical and simulation studies.