Book excerpt: This is the first edited volume on response surface methodology (RSM). It contains 17 chapters written by leading experts in the field and covers a wide variety of topics ranging from areas in classical RSM to more recent modeling approaches within the framework of RSM, including the use of generalized linear models. Topics covering particular aspects of robust parameter design, response surface optimization, mixture experiments, and a variety of new graphical approaches in RSM are also included. The main purpose of this volume is to provide an overview of the key ideas that have shaped RSM, and to bring attention to recent research directions and developments in RSM, which can have many useful applications in a variety of fields. The volume will be very helpful to researchers as well as practitioners interested in RSM's theory and potential applications. It will be particularly useful to individuals who have used RSM methods in the past, but have not kept up with its recent developments, both in theory and applications.