Dealing with Small Sample Sizes

podcast episode with speaker Fred Schenkelberg

It's rare to have sufficient samples for all the desired reliability work. It's common to have very few samples. So, how does one manage to learn what is necessary to learn from the few samples? How can you maximize the value of reliability work in the scant sample situation?

Let's discuss a few approaches and a process that enable you and your team first to have the right amount of samples. And what can be done when there are too few samples available? The trick is to start with what future decisions need better information and not start with how many samples you have.

There are three strategies to deal with small sample sizes. First, focus on the critical information only samples can provide and how valuable that information is to the team. Second, use other methods to create the needed information without using samples. Third, organize the various testing and measurements of the sample allocated to reliability testing along with samples or units assigned to other sections of the team to extract as much information as possible.

This Accendo Reliability webinar was originally broadcast on 9 January 2024.

Download RSS

To view the recorded video, visit the webinar page.

Related content:

ALT Sample Size episode
Reliability and Sample Size episode
Determine Success Testing Sample Size article
Three Elements of Sample Size Concerning Decision Making article
Three Considerations for Sample Size article

Building a Reliability Plan

Let's discuss how to build an effective reliability plan that fits your specific situation. The key is to add value with each step.

Create a Meaningful Environmental Test Plan

Let's explore the steps and resources you should consider when creating an environmental test plan for each product.

Basic Steps to Building Your Reliability Plan

Let's discuss the basic elements and critical questions as you build your reliability plan fitting the right tasks to each situation.

Selecting the Right Reliability Tools

There are dozens of reliability tools. How does a reliability practitioner know which specific tools to use in a new reliability program?

Creating an Effective Reliability Plan

A Reliability plan is a guide to achieve the organization's reliability objectives. A few steps and considerations will make a plan effective.

Selecting Reliability Engineering Tools

The selection hinges on knowing what is available, understanding the current situation, and available information, plus ...

Essential Reliability Engineering Techniques

Your science, engineering, and math formal training will serve you well as a reliability engineer, and that is not enough to be successful.

6 Essential Reliability Engineering Formulas

Using a formula requires understanding the purpose, limitations, and assumptions involved. It also requires using the right formula.

Reliability as a Process

The idea is to explore in detail why we think achieving reliability objectives is best done using a process approach.

Deliberate Reliability Testing

Let's explore the many reasons to conduct testing and how to clearly link those tests to the decisions that rely on the test results.