Step-Wise Group Screening Designs with Unequal A-Priori Probabilities and Errors in Observations

The performance of step-wise group screening with unequal a-priori probabilities in terms of the expected number of runs and the expected maximum number of incorrect decisions is considered. A method of obtaining optimal step-wise designs with unequal a-priori probabilities is presented for the case in which the direction of each defective factor is assumed to be known a -priori and observations are subject to error. An appropriate cost function is introduced and the value of the group size which minimizes the expected total cost is obtained.