Testing recipes is hard!
Testing of recipes is often time bound, requires precision but is also subject to analytical machines/labs and sensory panels availability
Sensory panels are expensive to setup and are often the last step in validating a recipe before taking to scale up trials, factory manufacturing and eventual rollout.
Turing helps with making Testing easier, faster and more efficient.
Informal Testing
Informal Testing is one such unique capability in the Turing platform that allows for rapid iterative testing that reduces need on expensive sensory panels and leverages the formulators unique expertise to enable fast progress.
Formal Testing
Testing that is conducted by trained sensory panels on specific measurment scales designed during project setup. Informal Testing on the other hand is on a specific designed scale (very low, low, ok, high, very high) and can leverage formulators, their peers and other not formally trained panels.
Core Workflow
Informal Testing is designed inline with the core Turing workflow
1. Setup project - Identify inputs, outcomes, goals goals priority and constraints
2. Calibrate - Ensure all goals are defined, apporpriately prioritized and all required constraints are in place
3. Generate Initiative - Recieve a list of suggested recipes that maximize learning potential of the next round of testing
4. Run tests and Upload Test Results - Download recipes, make outcome measurements and upload measurements
5. View Progress, Finalize Project or Generate another round of recipes to test. -Use analytical tools to decide if goals have been met or testing needs to continue
How it works?
Formulators can determine that for a round of testing, whether they will use Formal or Informal Testing methodology. Informal Testing could be done by the formulator, their peers or a combination. Formal Testing often requires testing by an independent, highly trained sensory panel (which are harder to budget for, to setup and train and execute)
1. For each outcome defined in the project and part of the test plan, determine testing strategy (Informal or Formal)
2. If Formal, ensure that the sensory panel is trained on the rating scale required for the outcomes as defined in the project
3. If Informal, ensure that the informal testers are aware of the acceptable values for Informal Testing
Example Test Plan with both Informal & Formal Outcome Measurements
Recording Informal Test Results
The above is a sample of what your test results data would look like.
1. For each outcome, determine the "Turing_m_type" as either "formal" or "informal"
2. For each outcome, define the "Turing_confidence" as either "high" or "low"
(Allows the system to estimate the confidence of the outcome measurement by the formulator)
Note: if you have multiple panelists in the informal panel, and you have consensus, you can set your confidence to high. If you do not have consensus, you can set the confidence to low.
If there are multiple panelists, you can poll them and choose to enter the most popular measurment. The system only accepts one measurement per outcome. The confidence rating allows you to signal to the system on the consensus measurement (or lack thereof)
3. For each outcome, if the "Turing_m_type" is defined as formal, ensure results are recorded according to the measurement scale defined in the project scope
4. If the "Turing_m_type" is defined as informal, the acceptable values for the outcome measurement are
"very low", "low", "ok", "high", "very high"
5. Note that any other values apart from the ones defined above or spelling mistakes will cause the test results to be rejected during upload or cause inaccuracies in the processing and subsequent results.
6. You can mix informal and formal testing results
7. Turing also supports Missing Outcomes i.e you can choose NOT measure a particular outcome in a round of testing and leave it blank
8. Once your test results are ready, simply upload into Turing and recieve the next set of suggestions for testing!
Speed & Agility
Informal testing allows you to move faster. No need to wait for expensive sensory panels. You can build the recipes, informally test them and rapidly iterate. When you feel that the recipe is ready for formal testing, simply download the test plan, switch the type to formal, record the formal measurements on the scale defined in the project scope and upload the results to Turing. We will take care of the rest!