Designs of Experiments (DOE) can be of immediate relevance for various research works conducted in the Fuel Cell (FC) area. DOE techniques allow efficient test definitions for rapid conceptions and well-organised characterisations of FC materials and components, individual cells, stacks or even complete generators. In the DOE method, some statistic-based models can be proposed in pre-stages of physical models. The statistical/numerical relations are used to predict the behaviour of the investigated systems as a function of various operating parameters. Some control strategies can also be developed to optimise relevant criteria like FC voltage, fuel consumption, and maximal electrical power or stack lifetime. A review of various DOE applications in the field of FC research is first proposed in this paper. Then, some examples of works are detailed. A conceptual typology of different possibilities offered by the DOE methodology in the FC domain is given in the conclusion. (C) 2008 International Association for Hydrogen Energy. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.