---
alias: user-guide-experiment-definition-index
description: "An experiment definition outlines variations for testing and resolving process deviations"
---
# Experiment Definition
:lock: ExperimentDefinition.**Show**
## Overview
An **Experiment** is a controlled deviation from the standard process, in order to test the effect of the deviation. An **Experiment** provides a structured mechanism to resolve problems or to improve processes - for example by testing new materials, new processes and new recipes.
!!! info
Experiment Management is a Critical Manufacturing optional module.
Experiment Management contains essentially of two objects:
* The **Experiment Definition** that represents the set of all variations to be performed as part of the **Experiment**.
* The **Experiment** that represents a running **Experiment** on a **Material** for a given **Experiment Definition**.
Once a **Experiment Definition** is created, reviewed and approved, it is possible to create several new **Experiments** based on the same **Experiment Definition**. To do so, it is necessary to [Create an Experiment](experiment/create_experiment.md) in order to associate the **Experiment Definition** with a specific **Material**.
## Experiment Lifecycle
Once the material is assigned, the **Experiment** will be created and will follow the lifecycle model as shown in the figure below.
```mermaid
graph TD
Start -->|"Assign Material
(Material is assigned)"| A1[Created]
A1 -->|"Move Next
(Material reaches the first Step of the Experiment Definition)"| A2[Created]
A2 -->|"Move Next
(Material reaches the last Step of the Experiment Definition)"| A3[Completed]
A3 -->|"Close Experiment
(Experiment is closed manually or automatically)"| A4[Closed]
classDef mermaid_title color:#000, fill:#fafafa, stroke:#fafafa, stroke-width:0x, font-size:100%, font-weight:200;
classDef mermaid_start color:#000, fill:#fafafa, stroke:#fafafa, color:#fafafa, stroke-width:0x, font-size:100%, visibility: hidden;
classDef mermaid_businessdata color:#000, fill:#65CDE8, stroke:#65CDE8, stroke-width:0px, font-size:100%;
classDef mermaid_nonbusinessdata color:#000, fill:#B7DEE8, stroke:#B7DEE8, stroke-width:0px, font-size:100%;
classDef mermaid_entity color:#000, fill:#FB9F53, stroke:#FB9F53, stroke-width:0px, font-size:100%;
classDef mermaid_entitylinked color:#000, fill:#FCD5B5, stroke:#FCD5B5, stroke-width:0px, font-size:100%;
classDef mermaid_context color:#000, fill:#B9CDE5, stroke:#B9CDE5, stroke-width:0px, font-size:100%;
classDef mermaid_optional color:#000, fill:#B7DEE8, stroke:#65CDE8, stroke-width:1px, font-size:100%, stroke-dasharray: 5 5;
classDef mermaid_state color:#000, fill:#d7e4bd, stroke:#000, stroke-width:1px, font-size:100%, font-weight:300;
classDef mermaid_initial_state fill:#d7e4bd,stroke:#92d050,stroke-width:3px,color:#000;
classDef mermaid_final_state fill:#a7e2f2,stroke:#65CDE8,stroke-width:3px,color:#000;
class Main mermaid_entity
class Start mermaid_start
class A5,A6,A7,A8,A9,A10,A11,A12 mermaid_businessdata
class L1,L2,L3,L4,L5,L6 mermaid_entitylinked
class C1,C2,C3,C4,C5,C6 mermaid_context
class N1,N2,N3,N4,N5,N6 mermaid_nonbusinessdata
class A1,A2 mermaid_initial_state
class A3,A4 mermaid_final_state
```
After the **Experiment** is completed, it is possible to capture its results and conclusions. The outcome of an **Experiment** can be *Success*, *Failure* or *Inconclusive*.
## Tying Everything Together
```mermaid
graph TB
A1[Material] --- L1[Experiment]
L1 --- L2[Experiment Material]
L2 --- A2[Material]
L1 === Main[Experiment Definition]
L3[Experiment Definition Material Group] === Main
Main === L4[Experiment Definition Step]
Main === L7[Experiment Definition Objective]
L4 --- L5[Experiment Definition Step Material Group]
L5 --- L6[Experiment Definition Step Material Group Action]
Main --- A3[Flow]
Main -.- A4[Product]
Main -.- A5[Product Group]
classDef mermaid_title color:#000, fill:#fafafa, stroke:#fafafa, stroke-width:0x, font-size:100%, font-weight:200;
classDef mermaid_start color:#000, fill:#fafafa, stroke:#fafafa, color:#fafafa, stroke-width:0x, font-size:100%, visibility: hidden;
classDef mermaid_businessdata color:#000, fill:#65CDE8, stroke:#65CDE8, stroke-width:0px, font-size:100%;
classDef mermaid_nonbusinessdata color:#000, fill:#B7DEE8, stroke:#B7DEE8, stroke-width:0px, font-size:100%;
classDef mermaid_entity color:#000, fill:#FB9F53, stroke:#FB9F53, stroke-width:0px, font-size:100%;
classDef mermaid_entitylinked color:#000, fill:#FCD5B5, stroke:#FCD5B5, stroke-width:0px, font-size:100%;
classDef mermaid_context color:#000, fill:#B9CDE5, stroke:#B9CDE5, stroke-width:0px, font-size:100%;
classDef mermaid_optional color:#000, fill:#B7DEE8, stroke:#65CDE8, stroke-width:1px, font-size:100%, stroke-dasharray: 5 5;
class Main mermaid_entity
class A1,A2,A3,A4,A5,A6,A7,A8,A9,A10,A11,A12 mermaid_businessdata
class L1,L2,L3,L4,L5,L6,L7,L8,L9 mermaid_entitylinked
class C1,C2,C3,C4,C5,C6 mermaid_context
class N1,N2,N3,N4,N5,N6 mermaid_nonbusinessdata
click Main "../../business-data/experiment-definition"
click L1 "../../business-data/experiment"
click A1 "../../business-data/material"
click A2 "../../business-data/material"
click A3 "../../business-data/flow"
click A4 "../../business-data/product"
click A5 "../../business-data/product-group"
```
## Sequence of Steps
The necessary steps for using an **Experiment Definition** are the following:
1. [Create](create_experiment_definition.md) the **Experiment Definition**.
2. Review and approve the **Experiment Definition**.
3. [Create an *Experiment](experiment/create_experiment.md) to assign **Materials** to the **Experiment Definition**.
4. Execute the **Experiment Definition**.
5. Terminate the **Experiment Definition**.
!!! info
The Experiment Management module is a Critical Manufacturing separately licensed module.
!!! info
For more information, see the [Experiment Management](../../../tutorials/modules/experiment-management/experimentmanagement.md) tutorial.
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