Factors in designed experiments, as well as in more general models, can behave in various ways. JMP uses the design role column property to describe these behaviors. These are the possible design roles:
• Continuous
• Discrete Numeric
• Categorical
• Blocking
• Covariate
• Mixture
• Constant
• Uncontrolled
• Random Block
• Signal
• Noise
In many of the JMP DOE platforms, you can specify factors with different design roles. In some platforms, your design requirements cause JMP to define factors. For example, Whole Plots and Subplots are factors that JMP creates when you specify very-hard-to-change and hard-to-change factors. In platforms where various design roles can occur, when JMP creates the design table for your design, each factor is assigned the Design Role column property.
• For descriptions of the design roles other than Random Block, Signal, and Noise, see Factor Types in the Custom Designs section.
• For a description of the Random Block design role, see Changes and Random Blocks in the Custom Designs section.
• For descriptions of the Signal and Noise design roles, see Factors in the Taguchi Designs section.