the spreadsheet 200 has been completed the user selects the design wizard function fig3 a and 3b show the operation of an embodiment of a doe wizard as shown in fig4 the wizard provides a plurality of navigation buttons 405 430 and a progress bar 435 for each screen clicking an exit button 405 exits out of the wizard deleting all previously entered data clicking a help button 410 opens a process specific help window with instructions for the particular portion of the doe presently displayed by the wizard fig5 12 clicking a reset button 415 takes the user back to the start of the wizard erasing all previously entered data clicking a back button 420 takes the user one screen back in the wizard clicking a next button 425 moves the user to the next screen clicking a finish button 430 causes the software to design the experiments based on the data entered into the wizard the back button 420 is not available on a first screen 440 the next button 425 is only available when all necessary data has been entered for a particular screen of the wizard the wizard provides default values in certain instances that do not need to be modified and some of the requested information is optional and need not be entered the finish button 430 is only available when on the final screen of the wizard after all the necessary data has been entered the progress bar 435 provides an indication of how far the user has progressed through the wizard the wizard provides two modes 1 question and answer mode or 2 doe map mode see screen 440 the question and answer mode provides a high level of guidance.