I am not statistical, but I prefer for this purpose the sensitivity analysis or "relation of many variable (in statgraphics)". When experimental data exist I prefer use the option "historical data" in Design Expert software, but if data not exist use other experimental design. Design Expert is very well for planification, analysis (ANOVA and others) and optimization of variables. Regards

Hi Mohammad,

My understanding is that ANOVA and sensitivity analysis are used for very different purposes. ANOVA is a statistical analysis used to draw inference about the influence of different categorical independent variables on a continuous dependent variable. Sensitivity analysis, on the other hand, is a process that is used to determine the sensitivity of simulation model outputs to different inputs.  More simply put, ANOVA is used to understand a system and SA is used to understand a model of a system. I wrote an explanation of SA when using population models to aide in fisheries management in the following paper.

https://www.researchgate.net/publication/256219936_Population_models_for_assessment_of_reservoir_striped_bass_fisheries

Hope this helps!

Chapter Population models for assessment of reservoir striped bass fisheries.

ANOVA may be used to investigate whether a statistically significant difference exists between multiple groups. Sensitivity analysis may be used to see how sensitive a system is to change with respect to some variable(s). In other words, sensitivity analysis investigates how a change of input variable values would generate changes in the output variable values.