Getting started with Python for DoE

What is python and why should I want to use it for DoE?

Python is an open-source programming language. Being open-source means that it is free to use, unlike commercial DoE software packages, which can be costly. Moreover, the open-source nature of Python has fostered a large and active community. This community continuously contributes to its development and shares a wealth of knowledge. As a result, you gain access to an extensive array of libraries and frameworks that make python a cost-effective but also versatile and almost limitless platform to use.

Is it difficult to master python?

The landscape of learning programming has transformed dramatically, especially since last year with the advent of ChatGPT and other AI tools. It has never been easier to get started or more importantly to use python. To get a taste of these advancements, try using the following prompt in ChatGPT:

— Please help me creating a full factorial design with python that involves 5 factors with different numbers of levels.

ChatGPT will provide you a step by step walk through what to do:

Install pyDOE2 if you haven't already. You can install it via pip:

!pip install pyDOE2

Generate the Design Matrix: Use the ff2n function from pydoe2 to generate a full factorial design matrix for 4 factors.

import pyDOE2

# Number of factors
num_factors = 4

# Generate the full factorial design matrix for 4 factors
design_matrix = pyDOE2.ff2n(num_factors)

print("Design Matrix for the Full Factorial Design:")
print(design_matrix)

Copy paste the code and you are ready to go. All of that minimum effort and it will only get easier in the coming years. So let‘s get started with python and Anaconda setting you on the path to a world of unlimited possibilities.

What is Anaconda?

Anaconda is an open-source Python distribution that simplifies getting started with Python. It streamlines the installation of Python and its libraries, making sure everything just works. Anaconda is available for Windows, macOS, and Linux.

Getting started with Anaconda.

Download and install Anaconda

• Step 1: Visit the Anaconda website.

  Go to the official Anaconda website to download the Anaconda installer. Choose the version that corresponds to your operating system: Windows, macOS, or Linux.

• Step 2: Download the appropriate version.

  For beginners, it's recommended to download the latest version of Python 3.x, as it's the most up-to-date and supported.

• Step 3: Install Anaconda.

  Run the downloaded installer. Follow the on-screen instructions. It’s usually safe to go with the default installation settings. For Windows, you might see an option to add Anaconda to your PATH environment variable. It is optional but you should do it as otherwise you might run into troubles later.

Exploring Anaconda Navigator

Anaconda Navigator is a graphical interface that allows you to manage packages, environments, and launch applications like Jupyter Notebooks. You can launch Anaconda Navigator from your applications menu to explore its features.

Launch Jupyter Notebook

From the “Home” tab in your Anaconda Navigator launch Jupyter Notebook. This will open in your default web browser. Go to your documents and create a new folder where you want to work in. Then create a new python 3 notebook.

Run your first python code

After opening the new notebook, write print("Hello World") into the appearing cell and execute the code by hitting shift+enter. Congratulations, you just ran your first python program 🎉.

Let ChatGPT help you to get started: