Purpose: To present the characteristics of the Q.LIFE Engine which is a complex predictive system that leverages corporate databases, modeling algorithms, business protocols, and knowledge in chemistry, engineering, IT, and statistics. Summary: Snee and Hoerl (Ref. 1) has depicted statistical engineering as the tactic to connect statistical methods and tools to a higher level vision or strategy. They also provided standards for the typical attributes of statistical engineering problems. The statistical toolkit is a component of statistical engineering, but in order to be considered statistical engineering a whole, system, and protocol that is more than the sum of the parts is to be created and a high-level need of an organization and society must be met. A documented protocol is not a necessary requirement, but it certainly is of help in creating a continuous, sustainable solution that can be recognized and continuity is assured. Having such recognition makes a work to be labeled as a product of statistical engineering because such designations by organizations imply strategic and unique value. Lubrizol statisticians define transactional consulting as a work in which a statistician solves small scope specific problems for specific customers but these can lead to statistical engineering problems which are more complex in nature. Lubrizol statistical sciences started an attempt to give chemists and formulators a worldwide, accessible, web-based tool to enable product optimization based on statistical models. This was named Q.LIFE (quantum leap in formulating excellence) and eventually became trademarked as the Q.LIFE engine. This paper presents the development process and the characteristics of Q.LIFE. (8 refs.)
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